Standardization of growing media for the hydroponic cultivation of tomato

The tomato variety Anagha was raised in Ebb and flow hydroponic system (flood and drain system) at Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara to evaluate the ideality of growing media (coco peat, expanded clay pellets and pebbles). Plants grown in coco peat medium performed the best, followed by pebbles. The coco peat medium contained comparatively high amount of potassium and also possessed high water holding capacity. Performance of plants grown in expanded clay pellets was very poor. Fruit quality in terms of total soluble solid content and titrable acidity was not significantly affected by the treatments.