Production technology of tomato

Tomato Cultivation, origin, climate, soil, rainfall, varieties, insect, pest, disease, land preparation, harvesting, yield

1. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF TOMATO

2. TOMATO Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) is one of the most important vegetable plants in the world. It  originated in western South America , and domestication is thought to have occurred in Central America. Chromosome no:(2n=26 )

3. GENERAL INFORMATION Although tomato is regarded as a vegetable, its fruit is classified botanically as  a berry. It packed with healthy nutrients and antioxidants. India ranks  2 nd in the area as well as in production of Tomato. Tomatoes are predominantly summer crops, but it can be cultivated throughout the year, gaining more popularity day by day . antioxidants.

4. Growing Region: The biggest producer of tomatoes is China. Then India, USA, Turkey and Egypt. Italy, Iran, Spain, Brazil and Mexico comes. In India- Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

5. Propagation Method : Propagation of tomato plants are done using seeds or vegetative propagation. Vegetative propagation uses a severed part of the hybrid plant to produce a new plant that is identical to its parent plant. Propagation through seed & Plant part

6. Climate , Soil & Rainfall requirement of Tomato: Climate : Tomato is a warm season crop, it requires warm and cool climate. The plants cannot withstand frost and high humidity. It thrives well in temperature 10 C to 30 C with optimum range of temperature is 21-24 C. Rainfall : I t requires low to medium rainfall . Soil : Tomatoes do very well on most mineral soils, but they prefer deep, well drained sandy loams. Upper layer of soil should be porous with little sand and good clay in the subsoil. Soil depth 15 to 20cm proves to be good for healthy crop. Warm Season Crop D eep, well drained sandy loam soils Rainfall in growing season : 194 mm pH range of soil :5.5-6.8

7. Land preperation & planting: Seeds are sown in June July for autumn winter crop and for spring summer crop seeds are sown in November. In the hills seed is sown in March April. Spacing depends upon the type of variety grown and the season of planting. Normally the seedlings are transplanted at a spacing of 75-90 x 45-60 cm. Choose healthy plants that are 10 to 12 inches tall. Dig hole about 12 inches deep for each plant and work a handful of good fertilizer into the hole before planting. Ridge is preferred for Tomato cultivation.

8. MAJOR TYPES /VARIETIES OF TOMATO: There are thousands of tomato varieties — many of which are hybrids — but they can be broadly divided into seven types. Cherry tomato Grape tomato Roma tomato Beefsteak tomato Heirloom tomato Tomatoes on the vine Green tomatoes

9. Varieties

10. USES OF TOMATO The Tomato is used as a fruit and Vegetable. Including tomatoes in the diet can help protect against cancer, maintain healthy blood pressure, and reduce blood glucose in people with diabetes. Tomatoes contain key carotenoids such as lutein and lycopene. These can protect the eye against light-induced damage. It is a good source of vitamin A, C, K

11. Irrigation of Tomato: Garden tomatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water a week. Tomato plants grown in containers need more water than garden tomatoes. Drip irrigation can be used for stand establishment of transplanted tomatoes. Sprinkler irrigation is often used for direct-seeded tomatoes initially to germinate the crop and may continue through the early seedling growth stage before switching to furrow irrigation. Four irrigation intervals; one day (T1), 3 days (T2), 5 days (3) and 7 days (T4) were used Drip, sprinkler & furrow irrigation

12. Manures & Fertilizers : Apply well rotten farm yard manure / compost @ 20-25 t/ha at the time of land preparation and mix well with the soil. A fertilizer  dose of 75:40:25 kg N:P . 2O5:K2O / ha  may be given. Half the dose of nitrogen, full phosphorus and half of potash may be applied as basal before transplanting.

13. Tomato Diseases, Pests Disease Symptoms Management Anthracnose Disease circular lesions on the fruit, lesion centers turn tan in color, Black spot in fruit Avoid sprinkler irrigation when fruit is ripening; rotate crops with other non-solanaceous plants Black mold Disease appearance of black or brown lesions on the surface of ripe fruit, appearance of black or brown lesions on the surface of ripe fruit avoiding wetting the foliage when watering and harvesting fruits, chemical control may be necessary with an appropriate fungicide Colorado potato beetle Feeding damage to foliage; if infestation is severe or if left untreated plants can be completely defoliated. adult insect is a black and yellow striped beetle is visible. adults and larvae should be hand picked from plants and destroyed in soapy water; applications of  Bacillus thuringiensis  can be effective at controlling larvae Aphids  May cause leaves to yellow and/or be distorted. use tolerant varieties if available. neem oil are usually the best method of control

14. Anthracnose Disease, Black mold Disease, Colorado potato beetle, Aphids 

15. Weed controls in Tomato: Effective weed man agement in tomatoes involves crop rotation practices cultivation proper field preparation sanitation irrigation management and proper selection of herbicides.

16. Harvesting of Tomato Depending on the variety, fruits become ready for first picking in about 60-70 days after transplanting. The fruits are harvested by twisting motion of hand to separate fruit. Both manual and Mechanical harvesting methods are used. Twisting by hand & Mechanical Harvesting

17. Yield Yield The yield per hectare varies greatly according to variety and season. On an average, the yield varies from 20-25 t/ha. Hybrid varieties may yield upto 50-60 t/ha. Storage : For mature (greenish-yellow) tomato's storage temperature required is about 55 to 60°F (12-16°C) and its cold storage life is about 3 to 4 weeks. Tomatoes should not be stored in temperature lower than 40 F because they show the tendency to break down.

18. A Presentation by, thesrft B. Sc Hons in Agriculture 7 th sem Roll-1xxxx25