Tomato Cultivation

Dear farmers, 

                         Tomato occupies a prime position in list of protective foods since it is a rich source of minerals like calcium (48 mg / 100g), sodium (12.9 mg), trace elements, copper (0.19 mg), vitamins like vitamin A (900 IU), vitamin C (27 mg), vitamin B complex (thiamine), essential amino acids and healthy organic acids like citric, formic and acetic acids. The attractive red colour of fruit is due to lycopene and yellow colour is due to carotenes. Peculiar flavour of tomato is due to presence of ethanol, acetaldehyde and a number of volatile flavour components found in fruit. Different forms of tomatine, a steroidal glycoalkaloid, are identified from various parts of plant. Tomato is a good appetizer and its soup is a good remedy for preventing constipation.

Climate

Tomato is a day neutral warm season crop, which cannot tolerate frost. Cool and dry weather is preferred by the crop and optimum temperature is 21-28°C during day and 15-20°C during night.

        Night temperature is more critical than day temperature. High temperature results in exerted stigma, dryness of stigma, burning of anther tip, poor pollen dehiscence, low pollen 

viability and slow pollen tube growth leading to low pollination and fruit set. Incidence of viral 

diseases also will be more at high temperature. Optimum temperature for colour development 

of fruit is 21-24°C. Development of colouring pigment, lycopene will be hampered above 27°C. 

Seed germination and pollen germination are adversely effected below 10°C.

Sowing time and seed rate

Time

In mild climatic conditions, where there is no danger of frost, three crops can be raised in a year. In the hills, seeds are usually sown in March-April. In plains is grown during June to November.

Seed rate

Open pollinated variety: 400-500 g / ha.

Indeterminate F2 hybrid: 125-175 g / ha.

Seeds sown in an area of 4-5 cents (200-240 m²) will be sufficient to plant one hectare. Four to five weeks old seedlings are used. Hardening of seedling is essential for their establishment in main field and is done by withholding irrigation for one week before transplanting, adding NaC1 (400 ppm) to irrigation water or by spray of cycocel (200 ppm) and Zinc Sulphate (0.25%) + 25 ppm proline at time of transplanting.

Land preparation

Seedlings are transplanted on raised beds or on sides of ridges. Field is ploughed 4-5 times and raised beds of 80-90 cm width or ridges and furrows are prepared. Spacing depends on the growth habit (determinate, indeterminate or semi determinate) of variety and various spacing followed are 60 x 30-45 cm, 75 x 60 cm and 75 x 75 cm. Usually closer spacing results in early and higher yield, but it may effect size of fruits.

Nutrient management

Manure and fertilizer recommendation for tomato depends on the growth habit and 

productivity of variety and it varies from state to state. In most of states, in addition to 15-20 

tonnes of FYM, 100-125 kg, N, 50-60 kg P2O5 and 50-60 kg K2O are recommended for one 

hectare. Recommendation for F1 hybrid is 250:250:250 kg NPK/ha.

FYM should be incorporated in soil at the time of final ploughing. 1/3 N, Full P and K 

may be applied as basal dose either just before transplanting or 5-10 days after transplanting. 

Remaining 2/3 N is applied 20 and 45 days there after. In boron and zinc deficient soils, additional dose of 10 kg borax and 5 kg Zinc Sulphate, as basal dose, are also recommended for correcting fruit cracking and to increase yield and fruit quality.

Irrigation

Furrow irrigation is the most common method in tomato and the crop require adequate moisture throughout growth period. Frequency of irrigation depends on the climatic and soil 

conditions. During summer, crop should be irrigated at 3-4 days interval. Water stress at 

flowering stage will adversely effect fruiting and productivity. A long spell of drought followed by 

heavy irrigation leads to cracking of fruits. Similarly a dry spell after regular irrigation causes blossom end rot. Drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation are becoming more common in areas of water shortage.

Inter-cultivation

Field should be kept weed free by frequent weeding, hoeing and earthing up. Application of pendimethalin (1.0 kg a.i. / ha) as pre emergence spray along with one hand weeding at 45 DT is ideal for tomato variety Pusa Ruby. Oxyfluorfen (0.25 kg a.i. / ha) Goal (0.25 kg a.i./ha) and Basalin (1.0 kg a.i. / ha) were also ideal as pre emergence application. Post emergence spray of Sencor (0.5 kg a.i./ha) was also effective at the All India Coordinated trials. Mulching with straw or plastic is also effective for weed control and for regulating soil temperature.

Training and pruning

All indeterminate varieties are trained with wires, strings or stacks to prevent lodging and 

loss of fruits by coming in contact with soil. It is done by providing individual stack or by erecting 2-2.5 m long poles on either side of ridges for stretching G1 wire. Branches of plants are supported on poles or strings with twine. Pruning is also generally followed in indeterminate varieties to improve size, shape and quality of fruits. It is removal of unwanted shoots to enhance vigor of plants.

Plant growth regulators

Plant growth regulators are beneficial for early yield, increased fruit set at extreme 

temperatures and to impart resistance to viral diseases. However, their effect is not seen 

consistent and varied with genotype, climate, location etc. Some of the growth regulators found useful in tomato production are :

Purpose       Growth regulator  Mode and time of

                                                              application

                                                         

High yield    GA1 (5-25 ppm)       Seed treatment

                        PCPA (10-20ppm)

                        DNOA (25-50ppm) 

                        GA (10 ppm)                Foliar spray

                        NAA (1000 ppm)

                        PCPA (50 ppm)

                        24 D (5 ppm)

 

                        Cytocyme (0.25%)

Increased     NAA (0.1 ppm)          Seedling soaking

fruit set.                                                   for 24 hours

Increased     IAA (50 ppm)

fruit set

In summer    Borax (1.0%)

For increasing  PCPA 50-100 ppm   Foliar spray at 

fruit set at low                                      flower cluster

temperature

Ripening of    Ethrel 1000 ppm       Whole plant 

fruits                                                 spray at initiation

                                                               of ripening.

Harvesting

Crop starts yielding by 70 days after planting. Usually fruits are harvested with hand by 

a gentle twist so that the stalk is retained on plant. Intervals of harvests depend on season and it is twice in a week during summer and weekly during winter and rainy days. Harvesting 

maturity depends on the purpose whether for fresh market, processing, long distance transport 

etc. Following maturity standards are recognized in tomato:

1) Mature green: Fruits fully grown, fruit colour changes from green to yellowish and cavity 

filled with seeds surrounded by gelly like substance. Harvested for long distance 

market.

2) Turning or breaker stage: Fruits firm, 1/4th portion of fruit changes to pink in colour, but 

the shoulder still yellowish green. Harvested for long distance market.

3) Pink stage: 3/4th of whole fruit surface turns pink colour. Harvested for local market.

4) Light red: Entire fruit surface is red or pink but the flesh is firm. Harvested for local 

market.

5) Red ripe or hand ripe: Fully ripened and coloured. Flesh becomes soft. Harvested for 

processing and for seed extraction.

Yield

Open pollinated varieties : 20-25 t/ha.

F1 hybrids : 50 t/ha.

Storage and marketing

Fruits after harvesting are graded and packed in bamboo baskets or wooden boxes. Since tomato is a climatic fruit, good care should be taken to remove bruised, cracked and damaged fruits before packing in baskets. Though tomato can be stored at low temperature, commercially it is not stored in cold storages in the country due to practical reasons. Fruits can be stored for-two weeks and four weeks at 10-13°C when harvested at red stage and green stage respectively. Pre-cooling of fruits before storage and transportation enhances storage life.

Processing tomatoes

Use of tomato for processing is increasing day by day and a variety of products like puree, paste, syrup, juice, ketchup etc are made. Varieties for processing should have following qualities.

1) Deep red colour which retains even after processing.

2) Low pH – The acidity of fruits affect-heating time required for sterilization of processed product. Longer time is required if pH is high and hence a pH below 4-5 is required for processing.

3) High TSS – Fruits with high TSS yield more finished products / tonne of raw fruits and hence minimum TSS should be 4.5°B.

4) High viscosity and consistency.

5) Firm and easy peeling.

6) Pericarp thickness-should be more than0.5 cm.

7) Crack resistance.

8) Fruits size should be above 50 g and oblong in shape.

Physiological disorders

Fruit cracking

Fruit cracking is caused both by genetic and environmental factors. Following four types 

of cracking are noticed tomato.

1) Radial Cracking: Usually seen at ripe stage and crack radiate from pedicel end to stylar 

end.

2) Concentric cracking: Seen around shoulder of fruit even at green stage.

3) Cuticular: Seen on outer skin of fruit.

4) Burst: Burst occurs at certain points on shoulder of fruit.

                Radial and concentric cracking are more common of which, former is more damaging. A long spell of drought followed by sudden heavy irrigation may cause cracking. Wide variation in 

day and night temperatures and high humidity  also cause fruit cracking.

                Many crack resistant varieties like Crack Proof, Ohio 832, Sioux, Manulucie, Anagha etc. were developed at various research organizations. Fruits of crack resistant varieties have thick pericarp or cuticle and fruit skin with high elasticity and less acidity. Pectin content in resistant varieties ranges from 0.8 to 1.6% compared to 0.54% in susceptible ones. High pectin concentration makes fruit less rigid and more pliable.

Water soaked spots of one cm or more appear at point of attachment of petals and effected portion becomes sunken, leathery and dark coloured. This is mainly due to reduced soil moisture supply and high rate of respiration at the time of fruit development. Deficiency of calcium also causes this disorder. Balanced irrigation, cultural practices to conserve soil moisture and spraying of 0.5% calcium chloride at fruit development stage are recommended for control of blossom end rot.

Sun scald

Due to extreme heat, tissues on exposed fruit develop a blistered appearance leading to sunken areas, which have a light or grey colour on green fruit and yellow colour on red fruit. In varieties with heavy foliage, fruits are shaded and incidence of sun scald is less.