Production Technology of Tomato

1)    Botanical Name:        Lycopersicon esculetum

2)    Family:                        Solanaceae

3)    Chromosome No:      2n = 24

4)    Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Plantae

  Class: Angiosperm

     Order: Solanales

        Family: Solanaceae

            Genus: Lycopersicon

                 Species: esculentum

5)    Introduction:

·        Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is one of the most important vegetables worldwide.

·        As it is a relatively short duration crop and gives a high yield, it is economically attractive and the area under cultivation is increasing daily.

·        Tomato has its origin in the South American Andes.

·        Tomatoes contribute to a healthy, well-balanced diet. They are rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, sugars and dietary fibers.

·        Tomato contains much vitamin B and C, iron and phosphorus.

·        The fruit is rich in lycopene. The red color of fruit is also due to lycopene.

·        Tomato fruits are consumed fresh in salad or cooked in sauces, soup and meat or fish dishes.

·        They can be processed into purées, juices and ketchup.

·        Canned and dried tomatoes are economically important processed products.

6)    Forms of Tomato:

·        Cerasifome- small fruit/ cherry tomato

·        Pyrifomae:  Pear tomato

·        Commune: Common tomato

·        Grandifolium: Potato leaf tomato

·        Validium: Upright tomato

7)    Climate and Soil:

·        Tomato, a warm season vegetable, is grown extensively in cool season also.

·        The optimum temperature required for its cultivation is 15⁰C-30⁰C.

·        At high and low temperatures, there is low germination of seeds, poor plant growth, flower drop, poor fruit set and ripening.

·        At high temperatures, generally the quality of fruits is poor and there is high incidence of sun-scald.

·        Tomato is grown is varied types of soil- sandy loam to clay, black soil and red soil having proper drainage.

·        However sandy loam, rich in organic matter is ideal for its cultivation.

·        The pH of the soil should be 7-8. Tomato can tolerate moderate acidic and saline soils.

8)    Varieties:

·        Brief stick (Large size): Weight of single fruit 180 to 250 g, useful for salad purpose. Varieties: Trust, Mech, AFA-180, AFA-514.

·        Big Fruited varieties: Weight of single fruit 120 to 150 g. Varieties: R-144, AFA-189, AFA-179 (Israel variety), Naveen, Nan-7711, NS-545, GS-500, Arka Vardhan, Arka Vishal, Estona, Fronou, Shanmon, Kesius (Indian variety) etc.

·        Cluster type variety: 4 -7 fruits obtain per cluster. Varieties: AHA-545, AFA-556, AFA-521

·        Cherry type: Weight of single fruit 120- 200 g, TSS 6.8-7%. Variety: BR-124, AHA-818 (Israel variety), T-56, NS Cherry-1 and 2.

9)    Raising seedlings:

·        The seeds of tomato should be sown in a plug tray. The plug tray should be filled with Cocopeat.

·        The seeds should be treated with Thiram or Bavistin @ 2g/kg.

·        Seedlings are ready for transplanting 4-5 weeks after sowing.

10)     Fumigation Process:

·        It is marketed as Formalin, an aqueous solution, which contains 37-40% formaldehyde, which has a poor penetration and diffusion ability.

·        The Formalin used for sterilization should be mixed with water in 1:10 proportion. For drenching Formalin is used at the rate of 7.5 lit for 100 sq. mt. i.e. 37.5 lit of Formalin will be required for 500-sq.mt polyhouse.

·        After drenching, planting is done after two weeks, this method is not effective against nematodes and it should not to be used in a standing crop.

11)     Bed Preparation:

·        Raised bed of following dimension is prepared.

·        Top width-    90cm.

·         Height     - 40 cm

·        Bottom width of bed – 100cm.

12)     Planting Distance:

·        40 cm between two plants

·        50 cm between two rows

·        60 x 60 cm also used.

13)     Planting material:

·        Disease free seedlings of three to four weeks old are used for transplanting, with ideal seedling height of 16-18cms.

14)     Time of Planting:

·        June - July

·        November – December

15)     Crop Support:

·        After transplanting immediately plant, stems should be secured to nylon/plastic (high – density) twine, and quality of twine should be ensured.

·        Twines are hung from horizontal wires at least 3 m about the ground.

·        Horizontal wires must be sturdy enough to support the weight of all plants in the row.

16)     Training:

·        Plants should be trained as single (main) stem.

·        The plants can be supported with the help of plastic twine loosely anchored around the base of the plants (non slip loop) at one end.

·        The same plastic twine is tied to overhead support wires (12 to 16 gauge) running along the length of the row.

·        Overhead wires should be at least 3m above the surface of beds and should be firmly anchored to support structures.

·        Tie the plant with the help of plastic twine in inclined position to the overhead support wires.

·        Twine should be wrapped clockwise around the plant, with complete swirl every three leaves.

·        Plastic twine should not be wrapped around fruit clusters. When plants reach the overhead supporting wires, unite the twine and lower the vines and twines at least three feet (once in two weeks).

·        After lowering, vines should lean in one direction in one row, vines in extra twine for this purpose when initially tying vines.

17)     Irrigation:

·        Frequent irrigation is essential for plant growth, fruiting and yield.

·        The crop should be irrigated at 3-6 days interval.

·        However during summer more irrigation is required due to higher surface evaporation.

·        Nowadays Drip method of irrigation is practiced. Drip system is highly economical and produces quality tomatoes.

18)     Mulching:

·        The most common straw mulch to be applied to soil when tomatoes are about 2 feet height.

·        The mulch reduces evaporation of water from the soil and prevents compaction of the soil surface.

·        White (reflective) plastic mulches are recommended to control weeds, conserve moisture, reduce humidity and improve light conditions and also to avoid soil contact and prevent diseases.

19)     Topping:

·        Six weeks before the anticipated crop termination date, the growing point and small fruit clusters at the top of the plant are removed this operation is called Topping.

·        Topping is carried out for rapid fruit development and improving size of already-set fruit in the lower part of the plant.

·        To avoid sunburn the shoots are left to grow at the top.

20)     Pollination:

·        Tomatoes are self-pollination under open field conditions. Pollen sheds and fertilization occur as a function of normal air movement leading to agitation of the plants and flowers. Under greenhouse conditions, flowers need to be agitated mechanically.

·        For pollination, hand pollination is used. In this method gently brush your hand on flower clusters Timing is important in hand pollination for fruit set i.e. when humidity conditions are most favorable (50-70%). Pollination is done at least twice a week; inadequate pollination will lead to misshapen fruits and lower yields.

21)     De-leafing:

·        When vines are lowered, leaves touching the ground are removed to prevent diseases development.

·        The amount of de-leafing that occurs higher up the plant varies between growers.

·        The purpose of de-leafing higher up the plant stem is to increase light penetration and air circulation.

·        Typically, all leaves are removed below the lowest fruit cluster, which has not been harvested.

·        De-leafing also helps to make more carbohydrates available to the fruit trusses, thereby increasing yield. This operation is carried out in all types of tomatoes.

22)     Fruit Thinning:

·        Small, undersized fruit at the end of cluster (distal fruit) are always removed, as these will generally not grow to marketable size and reduces the size of the other fruits on the cluster.

Table 34 Maturity indices of Tomato

Scope	Class	Description
1	Green	Entirely light t-dark green but mature.
2	Breaker	First appearance of external pink red or tannish yellow color not more than 10%.
3	Turning	Over 10% but not more than 30%.
4	Pink	Over 30% but not more than 60% pinkish or red.
5	Light red	Over 60% but not more than 90% red.
6	Red	Over 90% red desirable table ripeness.

·        All the percentages refer to both color distribution and intensity.

23)     Harvesting:

·        Tomatoes are harvested at several stages – mature green, turning pink, red ripe and over ripe.

·        The stage of harvesting depends upon the purpose for which the tomatoes are harvested.

·        Generally, tomatoes are harvested at mature green to turning stage for distant marketing.

·        For fresh consumption, pink to light red tomatoes are preferred.

24)     Yield:

·        Truss tomatoes-25-30 kg/sq.m.

·        Cherry tomatoes-15-20 kg/sq.m.

25)     Insect – Pest:

·        Serpentine Leaf Miner: It is a polyphagous in nature very widely distributed throughout the India. Maggot mines into the leaf and feeds on the mesophyll of the leaves making serpentine mines/galleries.

·        Tobacco Caterpillar: It is also polyphagous in nature, major pest of tomato, distributed widely. Freshly hatched larvae feed gregariously, scraping the leaves from ventral side, later stages, and feed voraciously at night on the foliage. Larvae may also feed on fruits hollowing these out.

·        Insect – Pest Management: Two rows of marigold for every 16 rows of tomato can be grown as a trap crop. Marigold flowers attract egg laying of H. armigera. Spray 5% neem seed kernel extract to kill early stages larvae. Placement of 15-20 bird perches (T shaped) per ha helps in inviting insectivorous birds. Application of chopped leaves of Pongamia or Crotalaria reduces disease severity caused by nematode.

26)     Disease: Tomato is attacked vast range of fungus, bacteria and viruses. The most common diseases are anthracnose, bacterial spot, bacterial blight, bacterial canker, buck eye rot, damping off, early blight, Fusarium blight, late blight, leaf curl, mosaic, powdery mildew, rots, and septorial leaf blight. Few major diseases are discussed below.

·        Bacterial Wilt: 

Ø  Deadly disease of tomato. Wilting, stunting, yellowing of the foliage and finally collapse of the entire plant are the characteristic symptoms of the disease.  

Ø  The lower leaves may droop first before wilting occurs.

·        Damping Off

Ø  Common in many parts of India, Occurring in nurseries of Tomato, Tobacco, Chillies, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brinjal and Cucurbits.

Ø  Young seedlings are killed before they emerge through the soil surface or collar region of grownup plants get rotten and toppling of small plants are seen in nursery bed.

·        Early Blight

·        Common disease of tomato occurring all over India.

·        The characteristic leaf spots and blight first becomes visible as small, isolated, scattered pale brown spots on the leaf which later on also develop on stem and fruits. Fully developed spots are irregular, brown to dark brown in colour, and with concentric rings inside the spot. In severe attacks the entire plant may be defoliated.

·        Tomato Mosaic 

Ø  The common symptom of mosaic is mottling of the leaves.

Ø  The normal green colour of the leaf is interspersed with light green to pale yellow islands of irregular patches.

Ø  The edges of the leaf turn downward and are stiffer than those of a healthy leaf.

·        Powdery Mildew 

Ø  A light powdery covering of the lesions may occur on the lower surface.

Ø  Heavily infected leaves die but seldom drop from the plant.

·        Disease Management

Ø  Soil Solarization or partial sterilization of the soil by burning trash on the surface.

Ø  Seed treatment with Trico derma 5-10g or carbendazim 2g or thirum3 g/Kg seed.

Ø  Field sanitation

Ø  Crop rotation with non-solanaceous.

Ø  Providing better drainage, forming raised beds.

Ø  Uproot the heavily infected or virus infected plants.

Ø  Sanitation and crop rotation reduces the disease incidence.

27)     Physiological Disorder:

·        Sun-Scald: Sun-Scald and low temperature are general problems of tomato in summer and winter respectively. On exposure of tomatoes to high temperature and high sunlight, whitish, greyish, sunken and papery lesions develop. Varieties having sparse foliage, thin pericarp and immature size are more prone to this.

·        Blossom end rot: It is a severe physiological disorder. It is caused by calcium deficiency in the greenhouse. In India, the incidence is not noticed in outdoor tomatoes. If there is an incidence of this disorder, calcium sulphate, calcium chloride should be applied.

·        Fruit Cracking: Cracking of tomato is very common. High temperature followed by low temperature with high relative humidity is responsible for causing fruit cracking. In calcareous soils deficiency of Boron causes fruit cracking. Soil application of borax @ 15-20 kg/ha or spraying of borax, 2-3 times at fruiting stage to ripening reduces fruit cracking. There should be proper control of moisture, especially at fruit maturity and ripening stages.