Tomato Cultivation

Botanical and Origin Details

• Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum
• Primary Centre of Origin: Peru
• Secondary Centre of Origin: Mexico
• Common Name: Poor Man’s Orange

Nutritional Value (Per 100 g of Fresh Tomato)

• Energy: 18–20 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
• Protein: 0.9 g
• Fats: 0.2 g
• Vitamin C: 18–20 mg (antioxidant, boosts immunity)
• Lycopene: 3–7 mg (antioxidant, reduces cancer risk)
• Minerals: Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

Morphological Features

• Root System: Deep-rooted, taproot system with lateral roots.
• Stem: Herbaceous, weak, and hairy. Indeterminate types have continuous growth.
• Leaves: Compound, pinnate, and hairy with a strong aroma.
• Flowers: Yellow, borne in clusters, usually self-pollinated.
• Fruits: Fleshy berry, varying in size, shape, and color (red, yellow, orange, or pink).
• Seeds: Small, flat, and pale yellow, enclosed in gelatinous pulp.

Importance and Uses

• Tomatoes are consumed both raw and cooked.
• Key processed products include soup, juice, ketchup, puree, paste, and powder.
• Nutritionally, tomatoes are rich in Vitamin A, C, B1, and B2.
• Dried tomato juice retains Vitamin C.
• Adds color, flavor, and variety to food.

Global and National Scenario

• Global Production: Leading producers include China, India, the USA, Turkey, and Egypt.
• World Production: 127.92 million tons on 47.19 lakh hectares.
• India (2009-10): 6.34 lakh ha area; production of 124.33 lakh tons.
• Top States in India: Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, and Bihar.

Agro-Climatic Requirements

• Climate: Warm season crop.
• Temperature: Thrives between 20–24°C. Critical limits:
  • Below 16°C or above 27°C are unfavorable.
  • Lycopene synthesis (responsible for red color) peaks at 21–24°C but declines above 27°C.
• Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil with good organic matter content.
  • Early Crop: Sandy loam is preferred.
  • Yield-Oriented: Rich loam soils with high water-holding capacity.

Tomato Varieties/Hybrids

IARI, New Delhi Varieties

1. Pusa-120: Semi-determinate, late maturing, resistant to nematodes, suitable for winter/summer. Yield: 300-320 q/ha. Recommended: All India.
2. Pusa Ruby: Early maturing, indeterminate, fresh and processing use. Yield: 280-300 q/ha. Recommended: All India.
3. Pusa Sheetal: Determinate, low-temperature fruit set, early spring variety. Yield: 350 q/ha. Recommended: Bihar, Punjab, UP, etc.
4. Pusa Gaurav: Dwarf, bushy, egg-shaped fruits, high TSS, suitable for processing. Yield: 330-350 q/ha. Recommended: North and Central India.
5. Pusa Uphar: Indeterminate, prolific bearer, round fruits in bunches. Yield: 370 q/ha. Recommended: Punjab, UP, etc.
6. Pusa Rohini: Thick pericarp, long-distance transportable. Yield: 415 q/ha. Recommended: NCR.
7. Pusa Sadabahar: Thermo-insensitive, suitable year-round. Yield: 350 q/ha. Recommended: NCR.
8. Pusa Hybrid-2: Semi-determinate, resistant to root knot nematodes. Yield: 600-625 q/ha. Recommended: North and Central India.
9. Pusa Hybrid-4: Determinate, compact, resistant to nematodes. Yield: 425-450 q/ha. Recommended: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, etc.
10. Pusa Hybrid-8: Determinate, heavy fruit bearer. Yield: 430-450 q/ha. Recommended: Punjab, UP, Bihar.

IIHR, Bengaluru Varieties

1. Arka Ananya: F1 hybrid, resistant to TLCV and bacterial wilt. Yield: 65-70 t/ha. Recommended: Various states.
2. Arka Vardan: F1 hybrid, resistant to root knot nematodes. Yield: 75 t/ha. Recommended: Hills and plains.
3. Arka Vikas: Medium-large fruits, rainfed and irrigated conditions. Yield: 35 t/ha. Recommended: All India.
4. Arka Abha: Resistant to bacterial wilt, deep red fruits. Yield: 43 t/ha. Recommended: All India.
5. Arka Saurabh: Medium-large fruits, suitable for fresh and processing. Yield: 30-35 t/ha. Recommended: All India.
6. Arka Alok: Resistant to bacterial wilt, firm fruits. Yield: 46 t/ha. Recommended: All India.

Varanasi Varieties (Kashi Series)

1. Kashi Vishesh: TLCV resistant, spherical fruits. Yield: 400-450 q/ha. Recommended: North and Central India.
2. Kashi Amrit: Attractive red, fleshy fruits. Yield: 620 q/ha. Recommended: UP, Bihar, Jharkhand.
3. Kashi Hemant: Determinate, medium-sized fruits. Yield: 400-420 q/ha. Recommended: Central India.
4. Kashi Sharad: Indeterminate, firm fruits with long shelf life. Yield: 400-500 q/ha. Recommended: J&K, HP, etc.
5. Kashi Anupam: Determinate, flattish round fruits. Yield: 500-600 q/ha. Recommended: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana.

HAU, Hisar Varieties

1. HS-101: Determinate, winter season variety. Yield: 250-275 q/ha. Recommended: All India.
2. HS-102: Suitable for winter/summer. Yield: 250-275 q/ha. Recommended: All India.

Nursery Raising

• Nursery Size: 225 m² required for one hectare.
• Bed Preparation:
  • Dimensions: 7.5 m × 1 m × 10–15 cm.
  • Mix 3 kg well-decomposed FYM per m².
  • Add 0.5 kg NPK (15:15:15) per bed, 10 days before sowing.
• Seed Requirements:
  • Open-Pollinated Varieties: 400–500 g/ha.
  • Hybrids: 125–175 g/ha.
• Seed Treatment:
  • Use Captan, Thiram, or Ceresan @ 2 g/kg seed to prevent fungal diseases.
• Bed Sterilization:
  • Methods: Steam sterilization, formalin (40%) fumigation, or solarization.

Field Preparation and Transplanting

• Soil Preparation:
  • Initial plowing with a soil-turning plow, followed by 4–5 plowings with a country plow.
  • Level the soil and prepare raised beds (60–75 cm width).
• Transplanting:
  • Spacing:
    • Determinate varieties: 60 × 45 cm.
    • Indeterminate varieties: 90 × 30 cm.
  • Transplant during late afternoon to prevent stress.

Manures and Fertilizers

• FYM Application: 200–250 quintals/ha during field preparation.
• NPK Fertilizer Recommendations:
  • Open-Pollinated: 75–100 kg N, 50–75 kg P₂O₅, 50–60 kg K₂O/ha.
  • Hybrids: 150–180 kg N, 100–150 kg P₂O₅, 80–120 kg K₂O/ha.
• Application Schedule:
  • 1/3 Nitrogen, full Phosphorus, and 1/2 Potassium at planting.
  • 1/3 Nitrogen after one month.
  • Remaining 1/3 Nitrogen and 1/2 Potassium after two months.

Irrigation and Water Management

• Irrigation must be carefully managed:
  • Avoid over-watering and waterlogging.
  • Critical stages: Flowering and fruit development.
  • Water stress leads to flower drop and reduced fruit growth.

Weed Management

• Critical period: 30–50 days after transplanting.
• Herbicide Options:
  • Alachlor @ 2 kg a.i./ha.
  • Pendimethalin @ 1.2 kg a.i./ha.
  • Fluchloralin @ 1.32 kg a.i./ha.
• Manual weeding and top dressing of fertilizers can also be practiced.

Growth Hormone Applications

• GA3 Sprays: 50–100 ppm enhances fruit set and advances harvesting.
• NAA Treatment: 0.1 ppm improves fruit quality and yield.

Harvesting

Tomatoes are harvested based on maturity stages:

1. Immature Green Stage: Transport over long distances.
2. Mature Green Stage: Brown ring at stem scar; good for transportation.
3. Turning Stage: ¼ pink at blossom end; for local markets.
4. Pink Stage: ¾ pink; for local markets.
5. Hard Ripe Stage: Fully red and firm; for local consumption.
6. Over Ripe Stage: Fully red and soft; suitable for processing.

Yield

• Open-Pollinated Varieties: 250–300 quintals/ha.
• Hybrids: 500–800 quintals/ha.

Physiological Disorders in Tomato

Physiological disorders in tomatoes are non-parasitic and result from abiotic stresses such as adverse weather conditions, nutritional deficiencies, or improper cultural practices. Below are common physiological disorders in tomatoes, their causes, symptoms, and management practices:

Blossom End Rot

• Symptoms: Rotting begins at the blossom end of the fruit, forming water-soaked, dark spots that expand.
• Cause: Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca) deficiencies.
• Management:
  • Spray calcium chloride @ 0.5% during the fruit development stage.
  • Ensure balanced irrigation and proper staking to reduce stress.

Cracking of Fruits

• Symptoms: Cracks develop, often around the stem end, especially at maturity or the ripening stage.
• Cause: Boron deficiency, long dry spells followed by heavy watering.
• Management:
  • Apply 20-30 kg of borax per hectare to the soil.
  • Maintain proper and timely irrigation practices.

Puffiness/Hollowness

• Symptoms: Fruits become light-weight with incomplete filling; the outer wall develops while internal tissues remain underdeveloped.
• Cause: High or low temperatures, low soil temperature, and excessive soil moisture.
• Management:
  • Apply a single dose of 4-CPA @ 20 mg/litre or CPPU @ 20-25 mg/litre.
  • Avoid extreme soil moisture fluctuations.

Sunscald

• Symptoms: Exposed fruits develop white or grey patches during extreme heat, especially on green or ripening fruits.
• Cause: High sun intensity during peak heat hours (11 AM–3 PM) in May and June.
• Management:
  • Grow varieties with heavy foliage to shield fruits.
  • Provide shade or adjust planting times to reduce exposure during the hottest months.

Cold Injury or Low Temperature Injury

• Symptoms:
  • Vines freeze and wither near freezing temperatures.
  • Fruits become soft, water-soaked, and dull-colored.
• Cause: Frost sensitivity and low temperatures.
• Management:
  • Cover fruits with foliage to minimize exposure.
  • Adjust planting schedules to avoid fruiting during frost-prone periods.

Blotchy Ripening

• Symptoms: Uneven ripening of fruits, with greenish-yellow or whitish patches on ripe fruits, especially near the stem end.
• Cause: Imbalance of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) nutrition, with potassium deficiency being significant. Alternate sun and cloudy days also exacerbate the issue.
• Management:
  • Apply balanced fertilizers, ensuring adequate potassium.
  • Provide consistent irrigation during fruiting.

Post-Harvest and Storage

• Storage Conditions: Optimal temperature: 12–15°C with 85–90% relative humidity.
• Shelf Life: Tomatoes ripen rapidly at room temperature but can be refrigerated to extend their life.