SUPPLEMENTAL ZINC MITIGATES SALT-INDUCED DAMAGES IN TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

In order to study the effect of different salinity level in irrigation water and exogenous application of zinc (Zn) on yield and some physiological characters of tomato plants a pot experiment was carried out at the Horticulture farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka followed by randomized complete block design with four replication during the period of October 2015 to March 2016. Five different levels of salinity in irrigation water were induced by sodium chloride (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 dS m^-1) and three levels of zinc (Zn, ZnSO₄: 0, 15 and 30 mg L^-1) were applied. The results revealed that, higher level of salinity reduced the fruit yield where 4 dS m^-1 gave the better result over non saline condition and increased the leaf area of plant. Plant fresh and dry weights were increased with increasing salinity level and again were drastically reduced at 16 dS m^-1 of salinity level. The foliar application of Zn improved the fruit yield along with other characteristics and 15 mg L^-1 of Zn level showed the better result in case of yield, total soluble sugar content of fruit, leaf area and leaf fresh as well as dry weight where 30 mg L^-1 gave the better result in leaf relative water content and plant fresh and dry weight. Zn showed the better performance of tomato plant under saline condition.