EFFECTS OF SOIL FLUORIDE ON THE GROWTH AND QUALITY OF TWO TOMATO VARIETIES GROWN IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil fluoride ions (F) on the growth and quality of two locally grown tomato varieties in the Peshawar valley, Pakistan. The experiment was carried out at the Horticulture Nursery, Department of Horticulture, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, during 2011-2012. The objective of the study was to identify, for the farmers living in the vicinity of the F-emitting brick kiln fields of Peshawar, which of two tomato cultivars was most resistant to F. The seedlings of two tomato (Lycopercicum esculentum) varieties, Roma and Chinar, were each grown in two pots for each of six different treatments (T) with various F concentrations (T1=0, T2=10, T3=30, T4=50, T5=100, and T6=200 mg F/L). The leaves of both varieties were analysed for the % of ash, % of moisture, and the contents of protein, fiber, and fat after harvesting, by using their respective methodologies. Significant differences were found between the two varieties for the contents of fiber and fat (p