Cultivation practices of Tomato

Cultivation

Raising seedlings

             For raising the seedlings for one ha, 250m² area is required.Generally, in rainy season 7.5m × 1.2m × 0.1m beds are prepared. The beds are covered with a layer of farmyard manure and sand mixed in equal proposition. The farmyard manure should be used @ 4kg/m². During summer and rainy season, there is very heavy incidence of damping off. To protect seeds and seedlings, the beds should be treated with 10% formaldehyde. Before sowing, the nursery beds should be drenched with 0.2% Dithane M-45 or treated with Difolaton or Captan. Solarization is also useful to reduce the incidence of damping off. The seeds should be treated with Thiram or Bavistin @ 2 g/kg. Soon after sowing, the beds should be irrigated with rose can and covered with paddy straw.The beds should be irrigated everyday morning. Seedlings are ready for transplanting 4–5 weeks after sowing. Before transplanting, seedlings should be treated with insecticides 0.1% Nuvacron and Dithane M-45, 0.2%. Hardening of seedlings before transplanting is essential for better setting in the field. Hardening is done by withholding water 4–5 days before uprooting seedlings. Adding 4,000ppm sodium chloride or spraying of 2,000ppm CCC is effective for hardening of seedlings.

Direct seeding

            Tomato is also cultivated by direct seeding. It results in early flowering, early fruiting, early yield and less incidence of pests and diseases. Close spacing has the advantage of higher yield by direct seeding. In California, more than 80% of the processing tomatoes are grown by this method. Seeding of 3–5 seeds in a clump at 25–30cm ensures 2–3 plants/clump. Seeds should be sown 1.25 to 2.5mm deep. After establishment of plants, thinning should be done to maintain 1–2 seedlings/hill.

Planting

            In northern plains, generally autumn and spring summer crops are taken. However, in southern parts, 3 crops are taken which are sown during June–July, October–November and January–February. In Punjab, only spring summer crop is taken due to heavy incidence of tomato leaf-curl virus in autumn. Higher yield is obtained due to more plants/unit area. However, with closer spacing, quality of fruits is reduced due to more incidence of diseases and pests. The recommended spacing is 60m × 45cm or 90cm × 30cm. Flat bed and raised bed methods are used. Raised beds economize watering, there is less incidence of diseases and pests and sometimes has the advantage of staking. Mechanically harvested and processing tomatoes should be planted at close spacing. Hybrids are planted at wider spacing from row-to-row and close spacing of plant-to-plant to facilitate mechanization.