TOMATO

Botanical name: Lycopersicon esculentum

Family: Solanaceae

Chromosome no : 2n = 2x=24

Origin and distribution

Cultivated tomato originated from Peru (South America) Mexico.

The ancestor of cultivated tomato is cherry type (Lycopersicon

esculenta var cerasiformae - cherry tomato).
Species:

Tomato belongs to the family solanaceae. The genus

Lycopersicon was divided into two sub genera.

1. Eulycopersicon.
2. Eriopersicon.

Eulycopersicon is characterized by red fruited edible species with

carotenoid pigmentation and they are annuals.

1. Cultivated tomato - Lycopersicon esculentum

2. Small fruited tomato- Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium

Lycopersicon esculentum Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium

Eriopersicon is characterized by green fruited species,
anthocyanin pigmentation. The species included are peruvianum,
hirsutum and cheesmanii.

Lycopersicon peruvianum Lycopersicon hirsutum

Lycopersicon cheesmanii
Growth habit: Tomato can also be classified depending on the
growth habbit.

1. Indeterminate: terminal buds ends with a leafy bud and continue

it vegetative growth. Eg: Pusa ruby.

2. Determinate fruits: terminal buds ends with floral bud and

further its vegetative growth is checked and are called as Self
topping or self pruning types. Eg. Pusa Early Dwarf

3. Semi-determinate: have semi dwarf growth and it is between

determinate and indeterminate. Number of nodes between two
consecutive inflorescences will be around one. Eg: S-12, Roma.
 Indeterminate Determinate fruits Semi-determinate

Pusa ruby S-12 Roma

Pusa Early Dwarf
Nutrition value

Tomato is a major source of vitamins and minerals. It is widely used as

salad vegetable.

In England, it referred as “love of apple’ or ‘love apple’. In India it is

commonly referred as ‘poor mans orange’ (Ascorbic acid 15 mg to 20
mg /100g edible portion).

It is also rich in Citric acid and Malic acid. Glutamic acid is an amino
acid mostly present in tomato.

Tomato contains many important minerals like Ca, Mg, P, K, Fe, Zn,
Boron.

The alkaloid present in tomato is called tamatin and the coloured

pigment is called Lycopene.
Varieties

Sl.No Suitable for Suitable varieties

1. Plains Pusa Ruby, Pusa Early Dwarf, Marutham, Arka Vital,

Pusa 120, HS – 10, sweet 72, S-12, Co I
2. Hills Sioux, Best of all, Pusa Early Dwarf
3. Processing Arka Abha,, Arka Meghali, Arka Saurabh, Arka vartnan,
Arka Vikas, Arka Vishal.

4. cold resistant Pusa Sheetal

5. Mid season Best of all
variety

6. Resistant to SL-120
nematode

7. Resistant to fruit Sioux

crack

Summer crop S-12

Hybrids from IARI:

S.No Hybrid Parentage Characters

1 Pusa Ruby Sioux X Improved Indeterminate

Meeruti

2 Pusa Improved meeruti X Determinate

Red cloud
Early
Dwarf
3 Pusa Red L. esculentum X
Plum
L.pimpinellifolium
Varieties released from TNAU
CO1, CO2, PKM1, CO3, Paiyur 1 and COTH 1

TNAU Tomato Hybrid CO 3

F1 hybrid developed by crossing HN2xCLN 2123A

Plants semi determinate and suitable for high density planting

Fruits round, medium sized and borne in clusters of 3-5

Good fruit quality with TSS of 5.580

Duration - 145-150 days

Yield - 96.2 t/ha

Soil

 Well drained loamy soil rich in organic matter with a pH range of 6.5 - 7.5.

Climate

 Tomato is a warm season vegetable require a long season optimum temperature

is 21 to 24° C.

Optimum temperature for seed germination is 30° C.

Maximum fruit set occurs at a night temperature of 15 to 20° C. High

temperature (38° C) accompanied by low humidity and dry winds adversely affect
the fruit set.

Tomato has a yellow pigment Carotene and red pigment (at ripened stage) called
Lycopene

Lycopene is highest at 21-24 °c temperature.

Production of this pigment drops off above 27 °c temperature.

Season of sowing
May - June and November – December

Seed rate
Varieties : 300-350 g / ha
Hybrids : 100-150 g / ha

Seed treatment

Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g or Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g

or Carbendazim 2 g per kg of seeds 24 hours before sowing. Just before sowing,
treat the seeds with Azospirillum @ 40 g / 400 g of seeds.

Nursery bed preparation

Tomato is a transplanted crop. Seeds are sown in the area of 225 m2. A
raised bed prepared by well decomposed FYM is mixed @ 10 kg FYM per m2 of
nursery bed along with 0.5 kg N, P, K per bed and Neemcake 1 kg before sowing.
Protected nursery

 Prepare the nursery area of 3 cents with slanting slope of 2 % for the seedling
production to cover 1 ha.

Cover the nursery area with 50 % shade net and cover the sides using 40/50
mesh insect proof nylon net.

Form raised beds of 1 m width and convenient length and place HDPV pipes at
2m interval for further protection with polythene sheets during rainy months.

Mix sterilized cocopeat @ 300 kg with 5 kg neem cake along with Azospirillum
and Phosphobacteria each @ 1 kg. Approximately 1.2 kg of cocopeat is required
for filling one protray. 238 protrays (98 cells) are required for the production of
23,334 seedlings, which are required for one hectare adopting a spacing of 90 x 60
x 60 cm in paired row system.

50 % shade net Raised beds

 Sow the treated seed in protrays @ one seed per cell.

 Cover the seed with cocopeat and keep the trays one above the other and
cover with a polythene sheet till germination starts

 After six days, place the protrays with germinated seeds individually on the
raised beds inside the shade net

 Water with rosecan everyday and drench with NPK 19:19:19 @ 0.5% (5g/l) at
18 days after sowing
Field preparation

Plough the land to fine tilth. Thoroughly prepare the field with the addition
of FYM @ 25 t/ ha and form ridges and furrows at a spacing of 60 cm. Apply 2
kg/ha of Azospirillum and 2 kg/ha of Phosphobacteria by mixing with 50 kg of
FYM.

Transplanting: Seedlings are transplanted at 25 to 30 days and 10-15cm height,

on the evening of sunny day.

For indeterminate varieties and hybrids, row to row spacing of 60 to 120 cm and
plant to plant distance from 45 to 75 cm is adopted.

In case of determinate types spacing is 45 to 60 cm x 30 to 40 cm is adopted.

Spacing for TNAU varieties
Variety Spacing

PKM 1, Paiyur 1, COTH 2, TNAU Tomato 60 x 45 cm

Hybrid CO 3
CO 3 45 x 30 cm

Mulching
Mulch with black LDPE sheets of 25 micron thickness and bury both the
ends into the soil to a depth of 10 cm
Weed control
Apply Pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i./ha or Fluchloralin 1.0 kg a.i / ha as pre-
emergence herbicide, followed by hand weeding once at 30 days after planting.

Mulching
Irrigation
Tomato is a deep rooted crop. Roots will grow to a depth of 120 to 150 cm
and it has some drought tolerance.

Layout and planting for drip irrigation & fertigation

 Apply FYM @ 25 t / ha as basal before last ploughing.

Apply 2 kg/ha of Azospirillum and 2 kg/ha Phosphobacteria by mixing with 50
kg of FYM.
Apply 75 % total recommended dose of superphosphate ie 1172 kg / ha as basal.
Install the drip irrigation with main and sub main pipes and place lateral tubes at
an interval of 1.5 m.
Place the drippers in lateral tubes at an interval of 60 cm and 50 cm spacing
with 4 LPH and 3.5 LPH capacities respectively.
Form raised beds of 120 cm width at an interval of 30 cm and place the laterals
at the centre of each bed.
Before planting, wet the beds using drip system for 8-12 hrs.
Planting to be done at a spacing of 90 x 60 x 60 cm in the paired row system,
using ropes marked at 60 cm spacing.
Spray Pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i. / ha or Flu
Growth regulators
Spray 1.25 ppm (625 ml in 500 litres of water) Triacontanol at 15 days
after transplanting and at full bloom stage to increase the yield.
Intercultural operations
● Staking: It is very essential for indeterminate group of varieties because it
improves yield and quality of fruits. Stake the plants 30 days after planting
with 1 - 1.5 m tall stakes.
● Training: Removal the side branches up to 20 cm from ground level.
Micronutrient spray
Foliar spray of ZnSO4 @ 0.5 per cent thrice at 10 days interval from 40
days after planting. Spray 19:19:19 + Mn @ 1 % at 60 days after planting.

Staking
Desuckering
Protected cultivation
Production practices for cultivation of tomato under shade net
During summer, the hybrid tomato can be grown in a shade level of 35 per
cent under paired row planting system (80 x 40 x 60 cm - between pairs, rows and
plants) with a basal application of 50 kg each of N and K and 250 kg of P / ha and
fertigation of 200 kg each of N and K through straight fertilizers.
Protected cultivation of tomato in polyhouse
During rainy season, the indeterminate tomato hybrid has to be grown in the
medium consisting of FYM : composted coir pith: sand (2:1:1) with irrigation and
basal application of 50kg each of NPK/ha as straight fertilizers and 250 kg each of
NPK as water soluble and straight fertilizers through fertigation along with black
polyethylene mulch (50 microns)

Tomato under shade net Tomato in polyhouse

 Pests

Fruit borer Serpentine leaf miner

Whitefly Nematode
 Diseases

Fusarial wilt
Damping Off Septoria leaf spot

Leaf curl Tomato spotted wilt virus Peanut bud necrosis virus
Harvesting:
Maturity stage at which tomato should be harvested depends upon the
purpose for which they are used and the distance of transportation.

1. Immature: means before the seeds have fully developed and before the jelly
like substance around the seeds are fully formed.

2. Mature green: fully grown fruit shows a brown ring at stem scar. It has light
green colour at blossom end and seeds are surrounded by jelly like substance.

3. Breaker stage: 1/4th of the surface at blossom end shows pink.

4. Pink stage: 3/4th of the surface shows pink.

5. Hard ripe: all the surface turn to pink or red but flesh is firm.

6. Over ripe: fully coloured and flesh is also soft.

Grading:

Fruits are graded based on size as Super A, Super, Fancy and Commercial
according to IIHR.

Duration
110- 115 days from transplanting

Yield
Varieties : 30-40 t / ha
Hybrids : 80-95 t / ha
 Physiological disorder of tomato

fruit cracking Catface

blossom end rot

puffiness sunscald blotchy ripening