Effects of foliage application of calcium on fruit firmness and quality related indexes in processing tomato

【Objective】 The study clarified the effects of calcium application on fruit firmness and quality of processing tomato.【Method】 Calcium solution of different concentrations was foliage sprayed on processing tomatoes cv.Ligeer 87-5 and cv.Shihong 12 during fruit development in definite interval.The firmness and quality of ripened fruit were assayed.【Result】 For cv.Ligeer 87-5,treatments of 2,4 and 8 g/L CaCl2 increased fruit yield by 9.2%,39.6% and 14.2%,increased fruit firmness by 9.34%,5.09% and 5.01%,decreased PG enzyme activity by 21.08%,17.73% and 14.89%,increased fruit soluble solids by 12.57%,9.16% and 8.64%,increased lycopene content by 42.86%,42.86% and 38.86%,respectively;treatments of 2 and 4 g/L CaCl2 increased organic acid content by 32.29% and 12.11%;treatment of 2 g/L CaCl2 increased the contents of reducing sugar,total sugar and vitamin C,and fruit pressure resistance by 10.57%,22.10%,10.24% and 11.50% respectively.For cv.Shihong 12,treatments of 2,4 and 8 g/L CaCl2 increased fruit yield by 58.6%,38.0% and 30.8%,increased fruit soluble solids by 20.62%,15.83% and 14.39%,increased lycopene content by 81.16%,150% and 18.84%,decreased PG enzyme activity by 21.01%,43.19% and 8.84% respectively;treatments of 2 and 4 g/L CaCl2 increased fruit firmness by 3.10% and 0.07% respectively;treatment of 2 g/L CaCl2 increased the contents of reducing sugar,total sugar,vitamin C and organic acid,and fruit pressure resistance by 10.34%,8.30%,11.88%,1.44% and 8.81% respectively.【Conclusion】 Foliage application of 2 g/L CaCl2 is taken as the practical concentration to improve yield and quality and to increase fruit firmness and pressure resistance for the two processing tomatoe cultivars.