Impact of Biochar on Evaluating the Growth and Yield Performance of ‘Ansal’ Tomato Variety

Abstract

The effectiveness of biochar on the growth and yield of the Ansal tomato variety was evaluated across various growth stages and quality parameters. This study was conducted to assess the impact of biochar on flowering time, fruit set, ripening, and harvest, as well as on plant height, leaf number, stem diameter, leaf area index (LAI), and dry matter accumulation. The results indicate that biochar application significantly reduced the time to flowering and fruit set, with the shortest duration observed in treatment T2. The highest theoretical yield was recorded in T2, reaching 77.69 tonnes per hectare, a 12.9% increase compared to the control. Actual yield also showed significant improvement, with T2 achieving 58.26 tonnes per hectare, a 12.84% increase over the control. Moreover, biochar treatments resulted in higher Brix values and vitamin C content, with T2 exhibiting the highest Brix value of 5.03% and a vitamin C content of 14.53 mg per 100 grams. Although fruit shape and flesh thickness did not show significant differences across treatments, the biochar treatments effectively enhanced the overall quality and yield of the Ansal tomato variety. These findings support the use of biochar as a beneficial soil amendment for improving tomato production