Tomato : (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)
Family: Solanaceae
Origin: Tomato is considered to have originated in the Peruvian and Maxican regions of tropical America.
The word tomato is said to have derived from the Aztoe “Xitomato” or Xitotomate. Nutritive value: Tomato is rich in Vitamin ‘C’ and also vitamins A, Bi (Thiamin) and B2 (riboflavin).
Area and production: In Indian tomatoes are grown in about 2,10,000 ha with an average annual production of about 12 ,64,000 tonnes.
Botany: It is a self pollinated crop. But cross pollination to an extent of 2-3 per cent is not uncommon. Depending on growth habit, the tomato plants have been categorized into determinate, indeterminate and intermediate types.
Determinate types terminate in a flower bud and are appropriately called ‘self-topping’ or ‘self-pruming’ types. Determinate types of tomato plants do not have adequate foliage to protect their fruit from Sun scaled and most of them fruit early. Eg. Pusa Early Dwart, Co-1, Interminate Indeterminate types terminate in a vegetative bud and often require staking. Eg. Pusa Ruby, Best of All, Marglobe and Sloux. Intermediate types: have somidwarf growth habit.
Eg: S-12 Roma.
There are two species in the genue Lycopersicon which are edible.
1. L. esculentum – Cultivated tomato
2. L. pimpinellifolum – Small fruited tomato
Climate: It is a warm season crop and does well at an average monthly temperature of 200C to 220C. Temperature and light intensity affect the fruit set, pigmentation and nutritive value. Tomato has a yellow pigment ‘Carotone’ and red pigment (at ripened stage) called ‘Lycopene’.
Sowing time: In plains of North India, where frost occur during winter – usually two crops are taken.
Autuan crop: June – July planting
Spring – Summer crop – February planting
In South India, where there is no danger of frost, three crops are raised.
First crop - December – January
Second crop - June – July
Third crop - September
Seed rate: One gram contains about 300 seeds. 400-500 gm of seed is sufficient to raise series and transplant one ha.
Spacing: 75 cmx60 cm for monsoon crops;
60x45 cm for sping – summer crop
Transplanting: Seedlings of 4-5 weeks old and 10 to 15 cm. High are transplanted in the field, on one side of the ridges.
The use of starter solution (i.e., a dilute solution of N, P, K1:2:1 and about 4.5 kg dissolved is 225 litres of water) ¼ lit. per seedling at the time of transplanting has been reported beneficial.
Varieties recommended for the plains of India.
Pusa Ruby – a cross between Sioux (an American variety) and improved Meeruti (an indeginous hardy variety) Fruit uniformly red and smooth in the case of the former and slightly ridged in the case of the latter.
Pusa Early Dwarf: A selection from a cross between improved Meeruti and ‘Red cloud’ fruit uniformly red and slightly furrowed.
Sl – 120: A nematode resistant variety from IARI fruit round, medium sized and acidic.
Pusa Red Plus: A cross between cultivated tomato and the small fruited L.Pimpinellifolium, Fruit small, borne is clusters, pedicels persistent.
Co-1: Evolved by Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Fruit round, suitable for growing in South.
Varieties released by I.I.H.R. Bangalore:
Arkar Saurab (35 t/ha) Arkavikas (35-40 t/ha)
Varieties released by T.N.A.U.Coimbatore:
Co-1 (Maruthan) drought resistant variety
Co-2 (Determinate type)
Heat tolerant variety released by AVRDC is VF-32, VF-48 Saladitte semitropical processing variety developed by A.V.H.D. is TM-103 (78 t/ha) AC 238 (Pantnagar).
Pusa Sheetal (A cold set variety released by I.A.R.I.
Varieties recommended for processing:
Roma, Italian Red pear ,Chico Grande Introductions from outside, oval fruited varieties
Punjab Chhohara Released by Punjab Agril. University Ludhiana. Oval fruited variety.
Angurlata Released by Department of Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh, Oval variety
CFC 98 Released by processing industry, high TSS.
The above varieties have higher TSS, higher fruit with fewer locules and seeds. They have good transport quality and bright red colored pulp.
Seed production: Since cross pollination upto 4% has been recorded in tomato, an isolation of 50-100 meters should be maintained between two varieties, when grown for seed production.
The method of cultivation for seed crop is more or less the same as that of a commercial crop. Individual plants with good fruiting are marked and ripe fruits should be collected for extraction of seed. There are three methods of extraction of seed.
1. Fermentation method: Crushing the fruit and allowing the pulp along with seed in a wooden container to ferment for 2 to 3 days before extraction of seed. Seed is then extracted by vigorous stirring and washing.
2. Acid method: is used to avoid fermentation and consequent discoloration of seeds. Acid method is quick and is more commonly used. 100cc of commercial HCl is thoroughly mixed and stirred for every 11kg of fruit pulp and left for about 30 minutes. The pulp is then stirred again and the seed washed.
3. In Alkali method, washing soda solution (NaHCO3) prepared by dissolving 17% of the chemical in 1 gallen of boiling water and is used for mixing with equal volume of pulp. The alkali mixture is cooled and allowed to stand over night in an earthen pot. Next day all the seeds will settle down at the bottom of the container. The seed is collected washed and dried in shade and stored in air tight containers.
The seed yield varies from 80 to 100kg per ha. On on average the seed ratio to fruit weight is from 0.5 to 1.0 percent depending on the variety.
Physiological disorders and other problems associated with Tomato cultivation:
1. Blossom – End Rot: It occurs at the blossom end and affects only the fruit.
It is characterized first by brown discolouration at the blossom and of the fruit, latter the spots enlarge and darken until one half of the fruit is covered. The tissues shrink and the skin becomes black and leathery. Intermitent deficiency of soil moisture and deficiency of calcium or its non-availability to the plant may cause this condition.
II. Growth cracks: Cracking of fruit surface at the stem end is a common occurrence in tomato. Growth cracks are of two types.
1. Radial cracking – radiates from the stem.
2. Concentric cracking – develops concentrically around the shoulders of the fruits.
Radial cracking is more common in full ripe fruits, where as the concentric cracking is more on mature green fruits. Growth cracks spoil the appearance of the fruit and also provide entry for decaying organisms.
It is caused (i) when a long dry period was followed by a sudden heavy watering during fruiting.
(ii) When the fruits are exposed to the sun without proper covering.
(iii) Deficiency of Boron: For preventing cracking in tomatoes the following preventive measures will be helpful.
1. Picking the fruits before they are fully ripe.
2. use of resistant varieties like soux.
3. Regulating irrigation for maintaining constant soil moisture.
4. Spraying borax (0.3 to 0.4%) twice at monthly intervals one month after transplanting.
III. Sunscald: The fruit surface when exposed to the sun may become yellow or develop brown burnt areas. Grow varieties with abundant foliage so that the fruit may be protected from sun burn.
IV. Cat face: It is an advanced stage of blossom end rot. It is characterized by distortion of the blossom end rot. Affected fruits have ridges, furrows, dentations and blotches.
Pockets or puffiness: Affected fruits are light in weight and Soft. The fruits are angular in shape with flattened sides. Such fruits when cut open show a hallow core. Locules are partially filled with pulp and seed. It may be due to environmental and nutritional factors that affect the Inter development of internal tissues of the fruit.
For its prevention:
1. Over watering should be avoided in case of irrigated tomato.
2. Less nitrogen should be used when the crop is grown during short days with low light intensity.
Other problems:
1. Fruit Set: Low night temperature and hot windy days are equally responsible. Growing tomato in such seasons is to be avoided. Spraying 2,4-D1 to 2 ppm would improve fruit set.
2. Leaf curl: is the most severe disease of tomato caused by virus in plains of India. Leaves become smaller and gradually curl, thus affecting the growth of the plant. Spraying 0.05 percent Malathion or Folidol against insect vectors is recommended to control the spread of disease.
3. Root Knot nematodes: is a common problem in light red loams. Yellowing of leaves followed by stunted growth and presence of knots in the roots are the symptoms associated with the nematode infestation. For its control:
i. Grow resistant varieties like S1-120 in areas infested with nematodes.
ii. Fumigate the soil with nematicides like DD or Nemogon, a fortnight before sowing.
4. Fruit rot: Brownish spots appear on fruit at the point of contact between the fruit and the soil. The fruits decay and become unmarketable. Plants should be staked and drainage system should be improved.
Intercultural operations:
As the plants grow, the intertillage and hoeing should be shallow so that the damage to the roots may be avoided.
Traflan 0.25kg per ha was effective in controlling weeds in tomato.
Staking plants has proved to be beneficial. In the case of indeterminate varieties, the yield and quality are improved and incidence of diseases is reduced by staking.
Fruit set: In early spring (January – February) and early autumn (June – July) failure of fruit set in tomato is a common problem due to prevailing low and high temperature (i.e., below 130C all above 380C) respectively in certain parts of the country. This can be improved by spraying plant growth regulators like para – chlorophenoxy acetic acid (PCPA) at 15 to 20 ppm or 2, 4-D at 1 to 2 ppm.
A mixture of 1% urea and 1 to 2 ppm, 2,4-D as whole plant sprays when the first few flower clusters appear has been found most effective and economical.
Irrigation:
Irrigation should be so arranged that the soil remains moderately moist. Excessive irrigation induces the plant to vine and drop off the blossoms. A period of drought followed by a sudden heavy watering during the fruiting period may cause cracking of fruits. During summer irrigation at intervals of 3 to 4 days, while in winter 1o to 15 days interval is adequate. Tomato perform well when the soil moisture is at 50% of field capacity.
Manuring:
Tomato responds to liberal applications of fertilizers at planting time and after fruit set.
In Chalka soils of Telangana and low fertility soils of Rayalaseema regions (Andhra Pradesh) the recommended fertilizer schedule is:
100 kg of N
80 kg of P205 per hectare
80 kg of K20
In block clay soils of Andhra Pradesh
60 kg of N
80 kg of P205 per hectare
80kg of K20
The entire dose of P205 and half of N and K20 may be applied at the time of field preparation. The rest of N and K20 should be applied in two equal splits. First done one month after transplanting and the second, after fruit set.
Besides major nutrients, tomato also used moderate quantities of Boron and Zinc. Availability of Boron is considered to be essential for production of large sized fruits with high vitamin content and to prevent fruit cracking while zing for higher ascorbic said content and tolerance to disease.
Harvesting:
The stage of maturity for harvesting depends upon the specific need. For long distance transportation, the fruits are harvested when they are firm, mature and greenish yellow. For processing and local markets, the fruits are harvested when they are fully ripe or nearly red. Fruits are ready for harvesting in 75 to 90 days after transplanting depending on the variety.
Yield: Varies from 10 to 20 tonnes per hectare.
Grading: the ISI (Indian Standard Institution) has specified 4 grades for export and local market.
1. Super – A 2. Super 3. Fancy and 4. Commercial
Hybrid tomatoes (F1 hybrids)
High, early and total yield, uniform fruit ripening and resistance to adverse environmental conditions are some of the advantage sought for in F1 hybrids. The production and use of F1 hybrid seeds in various vegetable crops has been commercialized in Japan since 1923 and 28% of the tomato area is planted with F1 hybrid seeds in Japan. In our country the commercial utilization of F1 hybrid seeds is still in its infancy due to absence of commercial hybrid seed production units and lack of proper male sterile lines.
S1-120 x Pusa Ruby – High Yielding and resistant to root knot nematodes.
Storage:
Beat storage temperature is 120C to 150C. Mature green tomatoes can be stored for 20 days at 10 to 150C Ripe tomatoes can be kept for 10 days at 4.50C. The recommended relative humidity (RH) is 85 to 90 percent.
