Tomato - Efresh India

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Tomato
( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill )
Tomato is the most important warm season fruit vegetable grown throughout the
world. An exclusive Tomato Genetics co-operative located in the University of California,
USA, publishes genetic information on the crop and maintains a large number of
collections, which have already been thoroughly catalogued. It is a typical day-neutral
plant. It is mainly self-pollinated. A certain degree of cross-pollination occurs when the
stigma protrudes outside the level of anthers.
The optimum range of night temperature for fruit set is 15-20 o C. Dehiscence of anthers
takes place 1-2 days after the opening of corolla. Tomato is a true diploid with 2 n = 24.
Because of its wider adaptability tomato is grown though out the world either in outdoors
or indoors. China leads in acreage & production of Tomato in the world followed by USA.
India although has much area as China under Tomato, its productivity is only 1/3 of

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Chinese. Cultivated Tomato is an annual herb with thick solid stem or spreading vines and
is considered to have originated from Mexico and spread to all the countries. Tomato is
known for its outstanding nutritive & medicinal values.
Varieties:
Several cultivars of tomato were developed and recommended by various research
institutes and S.A.Us in India. Pusa Ruby, Pusa Early Dwarf, Best of All, Roma, S-120 are
some of the outstanding varieties developed by IARI , New Delhi.
HS102 of HAU, Punjab Chhuhara of PAU are from SAUs. Rashmi, Rupali, Naveen , Rajani,
Vaishali are some of the Hybrids developed by the Indo – American Hybrid Seeds. Today a
number of hybrids developed by the national & multinational seed companies are
available to the farmers. Use of hybrid seeds in Tomato, has become more popular than in
other vegetables.
Cultivation:
Tomato is cultivated on sandy to heavy clay soils. It needs a well drained soil with capacity
for holding moisture. Tomato crop prefers Soils with pH between 6 –7. It is highly
susceptible to frost. High temperatures and humidity favours foliar diseases. Tomato can
be grown at temperatures ranging between 15-35 o C. About 150 g seed is required to
raise nursery for transplanting an acre. In the case of hybrid seed 60g are found adequate
to raise the crop in an acre. The seedlings are raised on nursery beds of 40 m 2 for planting
an acre.
The main field for production is prepared by plowing 3-4 times, leveling the land and
making ridges & furrows to facilitate flow irrigation and drainage. Before the final plowing
3-4 tons of well decomposed farm yard manure and 200 kg of Single Super Phosphate is
applied per acre and incorporated into the soil before making the ridges.
Seedlings are taken out from the nursery in the morning and kept in shade and
transplanted in the evening on the sides of the ridges and irrigated immediately. The roots
of the seedlings before transplanting are dipped in solution containing PSB and the tops in
the solution containing a pesticide and a fungicide. The seedlings are transplanted without
bending the tap root.

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Irrigation & Manuring :
Tomato requires ample moisture for growth & fruiting. Water stress leads to stunted
growth and dropping of flowers. 50 kg N, 40 Kg P & K per acre are adequate for a normal
crop. P& Part of K applied at the time of planting over a basal application of 5 tonnes FYM
/ acre. N is applied in 3 split does during growth, flowering and fruiting along with K. Use
of micro nutrients especially Boran, Zinc and Manganese helped in increasing plant vigour
and yields in some situations. Tomato trained on trellises produce more marketable fruits
compared to unsupported crop as it touches ground resulting in spoilage of fruits and
fungal infections. Inter cultural operations in Tomato should be shallow to avoid damage
to roots which remain near the top soil.
Fruit set in tomato is a common problem due to low and high temperatures. Below 13 o C
and above 38 o C fruit set in cultivated tomatoes is hindered. In such situation application of
2, 4- D at 1-2 PPM with 1% urea as whole plant sprays on the crop increases fruit set.
Spraying water on the plants in the evening during summer increases fruit set by keeping
the stigma moist for pollen growth.
Harvesting:
Stages of maturity for harvesting depends upon the specific need.For long distance
marketing fruits are harvested when they are mature firm and greenish yellow. For
processing and local markets, fruits are harvested when they are fully ripe. Normally
Tomatoes are ready for harvest after 75 to 90 days of planting and continue to give yields
for another 60 days in the case of indeterminate types and 30 days in the case
determinate types. For mechanical harvesting, “once over harvest” types are preferred.
Quality Parameters:
The BSI grades of Tomato are Super A1, Super, Fancy and Commercial depending upon the
size, colour and glossiness of the fruits. Fruits meant for processing should have high TSS
and colour index. For canned tomatoes the fruit should have higher pectin content and
firmness and easy peeling skin. Green shoulders, wider stalk ends and cracking are
undesirable for both processing and fresh market. Yield varies from 6- 10 tonnes on
average per acre with straight varieties and 10 to 12 tonnes with hybrids with staking.
Under controlled conditions in poly houses tomatoes yield up to 40 tonnes per acre per
crop.

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Seed Production:
Although a self pollinated crop, considerable cross pollination occurs due to floral
structure. Hence an isolation distance of 50-100 m is desirable depending on the varieties.
Seeds are extracted from ripe fruits through fermentation or Acid/ Alkali methods. The
seed yield varies from 0.2 – 0.8 % of the fruit weight depending on the varieties. Hybrid
seed production in Tomato is accomplished through emasculation & hand pollination,
male stability, selective gametocides etc..,
Crop Protection:
Physiological disorders like Blossom End Rot, Fruit Cracking, Sun Scald, Cat Face, and
Puffiness are common in some varieties of tomato. They can be corrected through
regulation of soil moisture, providing shade, application of Boran etc...
Major pest problems in tomato are leaf curl and other viruses, root knot nematodes, wilt
caused by soil pathogens, fruit borers and sucking insects. They can be controlled through
appropriate IPM practices.