Tomato
Tomato
Solanaceae
Lycopersicon esculentum
Varieties – Pusa rubi, Pusa early dwarf, Pusa Red Plum, Pusa Sadabahar, Sweet 72
Hybrids- Roma, Yasvanth-2, Phule Raja, Dhanashri, Bhagyashri
it is grown almost the year round. Kharif, Rabi and summer season.
Tomato is a warm season vegetable require a long season optimum temperature is 21 to 24 0 c . Temperature and light intensity effect the fruit set pigmentation and nutritive value. Optimum tempeature for seed germination is 30 0 c. Maximum fruit set occures at a night temperatur of 15 to 20 0 c. High temperature 38 0 c accompanied by low humidity and dry winds adversely affect the fruit set. Tomato has a yellow pigmient carotene and red pigment (at riperned stage) called lycopene and at very high temperature formation of Licopene is inhibited.
Tomato can be grown in a wide range of soils from sandy to heavy soils. A well drained fairly fertile loam with fair moisture holding capacity is ideal for growing a good crop of tomato. Tomato is highly susceptible to water logging well drained soils are highly necessary. The preferable pH range is 6-7. If the soil is acidic i.e. pH 5.0 or lower limiting is advocated.
Tomato is transplanted crop. Seeds are sown in the area of 3 m long , 1 m breadth , 15 cm height bed. A raised bed prepared by well decomposed FYM is mixed @ 3 kg FYM per m 2 of nursery bed. 50 gm Blitox and 100-150 gm Suphala mixed into the soil. Seeds are treated with fungicideds and 40% formalin solution at 500 ml/m 2 area of nursery bed sterilization. 10% Formaldehyde is also used for fumigation. After fumigation the beds are covered with Polythene for 24 hrs. Seeds are sown 4-5 days after removal of polythene sheets. In line sowing 7.5 cm distance is kept between tows. The beds are covered with straw or polythene sheet till the seeds germinate. Seedlings are protected against wind, exposure to sun and excess rainfall . Fungicides are sprayed weekly to avoid of damping off.
Transplanting
Seedlings are transplanted at 25 to 30 days and 10-15 cm height on the evening of sunny day. In some areas tomato is directly sown. Direct sowing is reduce the infestation of root knot the nematode, bacterial wilt and damping off. The seedlings are transplanted at the side of ridge later earthing up is done to keep the plant in the middle of the ridge.
At the time of planting seedlings are deeped into Emidachlorprid 10 ml or Carbosulphan 20 ml + Carbendizum 10 gm or Mancozeb 20 gm per 10 liter water 10-15 minutes.
transplanting seedling or dibbling seed
It is grown almost the year round. In north India seed sowing is done in November and transplanting during the month of January. IN case of South India sowing is done in the month of August. In case of summer sowing is done in the month of March. It is transplanted in the month of April- May.
Short height plant
Row to row distance 75 to 90 cm
Plant to plant distance 30-40 cm
Long height plant
Row to row distance 90 cm
Plant to plant distance 30 cm
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Seeds are very light in weight. 400-500 g of seed sufficient to raise nursery and transplant in one hectare in case of improved varieties. For hybrid varieties 150 gm seed /hectare.
Tomato is subjected to pinching, the lateral shoots are pinched to improve more bushy growth but little foliage is to be kept. Frequently shallow hoeings are necessary to improve the yield it also reduce the weed growth. Mulching should be done 15 to 20 days after planting. 2-3 weeding before flowering encourages good crop growth.
Nitrogen is most important nutrient. Deficiency of nitrogen reduces endogenous auxins and blossom end rot disease increase with increased level of nitrogen. Phosphorous is essential for rapid root developmetn. Potassium is involved in the synthesis of proteins and organic acids. NPK @ 75 to 150 kg : 60 kg : 60 kg per ha has been recommended for tomato. FYM is to be added @ 20-25 tones per ha at the time of last ploughing and incorporated into soil. Half N, entire P and K should be applied as basal dose , half N is given in 2 to 3 splits 30, 45 60 days after transplanting. Micronutrients like B, Zn also need to be aplied and lime is essential under acidic soil Row to row distance 75 to 90 cm Plant to plant distance 30-40 cm Row to row distance 75 to 90 cm Plant to plant distance 30-40 cm Tomato is a deep rooted crop. Roots will grow to a depth of 120 to 150 cm and it has some drought tolerance. They requre adequate moisture for their fair growth. Excess as well as iinsufficient moisture is harmful. First irrigation is given immediately after transplanting. Light irrigation should be given at 3-4 days
interval in summer 10-15 days interval in winter. Furrow irrigation is most widely used but drip irrigation system is most useful to tomato crop.
Application of a weedicide basalin or Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i./ha plus one hand weeding at 45 days after transplanting was recommended. Staking- staking is very essential for inderminate group of varieties or hybrids because it improves yield and quality protection of fruits.
Blossom end rot- cultural practices that concern soil moisture and maintain uniform moisture supply. Transplanting in early April instead of early June. Foliar spray of 0.5% Cacl2. Apply nitrogen in the form of urea. Fruit cracking- use of resistant cultivars like Sioux, picking the fruit before the full ripe stage. Soil application of Borax @ 10-15 kg/ha Misting (spray of cool water) Puffiness Cat facing- balanced fertilizer application regulation of temperature. Sunscold- appropriate cultural practices Blotchy ripening- maintain balance between nitrogen and potassic fertilizers.Green back- reduce emperature by artificial means. Bokadya- Diphamethron (50 PWP) 10 gm or efrepropathrin (30 EC) 10 ml per 10 liter of water. Or spraying of 4% Nimboli arc.
Leaf blight- 1 st Spraying of 25 gm Mancozeb and 2 nd spraying of Tabuonazol 5-10 ml per 10 liter of water. Or Copper oxychloride 30 gm per 10 liter of water. Wilt-renching of copper oxychloride 30 gm or cabendizum 10 gm per 10 liter of water. (50-100 ml per plant)
White fly – Spraying of Fipronil 5 (SC) 15 ml or Thiamethozam (25 WG) 4 gm in 10 liter water. Red Mites- Phenoxquin (10 EC) 20 ml or Propergite (57 EC) 20 ml per 10 liters of water. Leaf Minor- Trizophos 400 ml or Clhoratrnilprol (18.5 % EC) 60 ml per 200 liter of water.
Stage maturity at which tomato should be harvested depends upon the purpose for
which they are used.
Immature stage = used for jelly purpose
Mature green = used for jelly purpose
Pink stage = vegetable
Hard ripe = vegetable
Over ripe = = vegetable
For distant market mature green stage fruit can be harvested and for a local market they can be harvested at hard ripe stage.
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Average yield of fruit of varieties 200-300 Qtls/ha
Hybrid 500-600 Qtls /ha
stored in cold storage system
Used for making sauce, ketchup, vegetable purpose, Jelly, Pickles, salads, soup, tomato powder.
1) Tomato is one of the most of the most important protective food because of its special nutritive value and also because of its widespread production.
2) It is the worlds largest vegetable crop after potato and sweet potato.
3) Tomato used for soup, salad, pickles, ketchup, puree , sauces.
4) Tomato is major source of vitamines and minerals.
5) It is widely used as sald vegetable.
6) In India it is commonly referred as poor mans orange.
7) Tomato contains many important minerals like Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, K, Fe, Zn, Boron
Grading according to size and colour. Packed in plastic crates.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, punjab, utter pradesh In Maharashtra Western Maharashtra
