Tomato Notes 2020

LECTURE-2
TOMATO
Common Name : Tomato
Scientific Name : Lycopersiconesculentum/ Solanumlycopersicum.
Family : Solanaceae
Chromosome no. : 2n = 24
Centre of Origin : Andes region of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador ( South America)
Area and Distribution:
➢ Tomato is cultivated throughout the world.
➢ The United States, China, Turkey, Italy and India are the top five tomato producing in
the world.
➢ The first known record of tomato is in the year 1554 in South America.
➢ The Italians might have been the first European to use tomato.
➢ It was introduced in Europe in the early 16th Century.
➢ Since 1800, tomatoes are being used as food all over the world.
➢ Bihar, Karnataka , Uttar Pradesh, Orissa , Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra , Madhya
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana , Assam and West Bengal are major tomato growing States
in India
Taxonomy:
➢ Tomato belongs to the family Solanaceae and genus Lycopersicon.
➢ The genus includes 12 species; all are native to South America.
➢ According to Muller (1940) and Luckwil (1943), the genus is further subdivided in to
two sub genera.
➢ Eulycopersicon: Cultivated tomato esculentum and pimpinellifoliumspecies are
included in this group.
➢ Eriopersicon: The following species are included in this group.
Lycoperscionpissisi,
Lycopersiconperuvianum,
Lycopersiconglanulosum
Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Professor & Director of Extension Education , & Former Head , Former Dean Students’
Welfare
Department of Vegetable Science , F/Hort , Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
Mohanpur, Nadia , West Bengal
Lycopersiconhirsutum,
Lycopersiconperuvianum and
Lycopersiconcheesmani.
➢ Bailey (1949) classified tomato in two species, Lycopersiconesculentum and
Lycopersiconpimpinellifolium with five botanical varieties.
Lycopersiconesculentumvar commune (commontomato)
Lycopersiconesculentumvar grandifolium (large leafedtomato)
Lycopersiconesculentumvar cerasiforme (cherry tomato)
Lycopersiconesculentum var validum (uprighttomato)
Lycopersiconesculentumvarpyriforme (pear tomato)
Economic Importance & Use
➢ Tomato is one of the most important protective food both because of its nutritive value
and also due to its wide spread production.
➢ It is the world’s largest vegetable crops after potato and sweet potato but it tops the list
of canned vegetables..
➢ Tomato is a very good appetizer and its soup is said to be a good remedy for patients
suffering from constipation.
➢ Lycopene that imparts red colour to ripe tomatoes is reported to possess anticancerous
properties.
➢ Tomato fruits are consumed fresh in salads or cooked in sauces, soup and meat or fish
dishes., powder, puree, sauces, soup, etc.
➢ It is utilized in large quantity for the preparation of various processed products such as
juice, ketchup, paste, pickles
➢ Canned and dried tomatoes are economically important processed product.
➢ Tomato is rich in medicinal value. The pulp and juice are digestible , mild aperients , a
promoter of gastric secretion and blood purifier.
Export Potential
➢ Tomato has been identified as a potential vegetable for export by the Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA)
➢ The specific requirements of tomato for export in Middle East are round , medium size
and red colour, while cherry tomato is preferred for export in European countries.
Varieties:
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A large number of tomato varieties have been evolved by various organizations.
According to growth habit there are two types of plant are found.
➢ Determinate: The determinate types of tomato terminate in the flower bud. They
usually have a flower cluster at every internode. These varieties do not have
adequate foliage for the protection of fruits. eg- Pusa Early dwarf, Roma,
PusaSheetal, HisarArun, HisarLalima, Punjab Chhuharra, ArkaVikas, etc
➢ In-determinate: The in-determinate type of tomato terminate in the vegetative bud,
they continue to elongate throughout the season. The blossom clusters in this
category are generally found at every third internodes separated by three leaves.
eg- Pusa Ruby, Best of All, ArkaVardhan,ArkaVishal,SolanShagun,PantBahar..
➢ Recommended varieties from IARI: Pusa Ruby, Pusa early Dwarf , Pusa -120,
PusaUphar,PusaSheetal, Sel-32, Pusasadabahar , PusaGaurav, etc.
➢ Recommended varieties from IIHR: ArkaSaurabh, ArkaVikash, Arka Vishal,
ArkaAbha, etc.
➢ Suitable for processing: Punjab Chhuharra, ArkaAhuti, ArkaAshish, Roma, etc.
➢ Tolerant to moisture stress: ArkaVikash
➢ Resistant to bacterial wilt: ArkaAbha, ArkaAloke, VC48-1, ArkaShreshtra, etc.
➢ Hybrid varieties: Karnataka, Mangla, Sheetal, Vaishali (IAHS), Arka, Vardhan (IIHR),
Madhurai, Meenakshi, Mohini, Manisha, Monika (BeejoSheetal Seeds) Avinash, Ratna,
Lerica (Sandoz Seeds), Pusa Hybrid-2, Pusa Hybrid -4 , Kt 4 (IARI), ARTH- 3, ARTH- 4
(Ankur Seeds), MTH-6, MTH-16, MTH-2(MAHYCO)
Climatic requirements
➢ Tomato requires a relatively cool, dry climate for high yield and premium quality.
However, it is adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions from temperate to hot and
humid tropical.
➢ The optimum temperature for most varieties lies between 21 and 24 °C.
➢ The plants can survive a range of temperatures, but the plant tissues are damaged below
10 °C and above 38 °C
➢ Tomato is susceptible to cold winds and frost.
➢ Cloudy skies will slow down the ripening of tomatoes.
➢ Flowering, fruit setting, fruit retention, pigmentation and nutritive value of fruits are
largely affected by temperature and light intensity.
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➢ Flowering and fruit setting is best at a day temperature of 25 0C and night temperature
of 180C.
➢ The critical factor in fruit setting of tomato is night temperature, the optimum being 15
- 200C.
➢ Fruit setting is poor when night temperature is below 130C and day temperature is
above 320C .
➢ The development of fruit colour in tomato is regulate by environmental factors also.
➢ At temperature below 100C tomato will not develop red or yellow colour.
➢ The optimum temperature for good colour development is 10 – 200C.
➢ Above 300C red colour start to disappear and fruits become yellowish red.
➢ When temperature goes to above 400C lycopene is completely destroyed.
Soil requirements
➢ Tomato grows well on most mineral soils that have proper water holding capacity and
aeration, and are free of salt.
➢ It prefers deep, well drained, sandy loam soils. The upper layer needs to be
permeable.
➢ Soil depth of 15 to 20 cm is needed to grow a healthy crop.
➢ In heavy clay soils, deep ploughing allows better root penetration.
➢ Tomato is considered moderately sensitive to salinity.
➢ Tomato grows well at a soil pHrange range from 5.5 to 6,8 with the optimum range
between 6.0- 7.0.
Sowing Time /Planting Time
In north India generally two crops, autumn and spring are grown. In the hills only one crop is
taken.
State/region Sowing Transplanting
Northern plains(Autumn crop) July -August August -September
Northern plains( Spring summer crop) November Second fortnight of January
Hills of H.P and Uttaranchal March –April April – May
Karnataka and Maharashtra May- June July – August
Oct - Dec Nov - Jan
Eastern India (Specially W. B.) Sept- Oct Oct – Nov

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Late Dec Jan -Feb
Seed rate
➢ For raising the seedlings to plant a hectare, an area of about 250m2 is required.
➢ Normally 400-500gm seed./ha is sufficient .
Spacing:
➢ Plant spacing is decided on the basis of the growth habit of the variety.
➢ The closer the spacing the higher is the yield but this reduces fruit quality.
➢ Different spacing is followed such as 60cm x 45cm, 75cm x 60cm and 75cm x 75cm.
Nursery Management :
➢ A net area of about 225m2 may be required to raise the seedling for one hectare land.
➢ Generally the nursery beds are prepared in the size of 3m length and 1m width and 10-
15cm height.
➢ The sandy loam and loam soil rich in organic matter are suitable for raising the seedling
in the nursery
➢ Well decomposed farmyard manure is properly mixed in to top soil of the bed at rate
about 3kg/m2.
➢ A fertilizer mixture of 0.5kg NPK of 15:15:15 per bed is mixed in the soil at least 10
days before sowing the seeds.
➢ For raising good and healthy seedlings, treatment of the seeds with fungicides like
Captan or Cereson or Thiram @2gm/kg seed is essential.
➢ Similarly the nursery beds should be drenched with 0.2% Brassicol or Captan.
➢ The seed bed should be sterilized with 40% formalin and 1/2litre of formalin is
sufficient for 1mx1m bed.
➢ Generally 10%formaldehyde is used for fumigating the dug up soil and soon after
fumigation, beds are covered with polythene.
➢ If the fumigation is not done in the nursery bed, solarization should be done to
minimize the attack of insect pests and diseases.
➢ For solarization, cover the nursery bed with transparent plastic sheet during the day
hours for 10days.
➢ In the prepared nursery bed seeds are sown thinly in rows 6-7cm apart and 0.5cm deep.

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➢ The beds are covered with straw or grass layer until the seed germinate and irrigate
with rose can.
➢ Protect from damping off diseases fungicides such as Dithane M 45or difolation
0.25% should be sprayed.
Transplanting:
➢ The seedlings are ready for transplanting between 4-5weeks after seeding in the
nursery beds and when it attain the height of 10-12cm having 5-6 true leaves.
➢ Seedlings should be hardened before transplanting to the main field.
➢ This is done by withholding watering for 4-5days so as to reduce the available moisture
to 20%.
➢ Hardening can also be done by adding by some growth regulators to the irrigation
water or by foliar spray.
➢ Transplanting should be done in the afternoon or on a cloudy day to reduce the
transplanting shock.
Nutrient Management:
➢ The quantity of nutrient applied in the field depends upon several factors such as
cultivar, soil, and growing condition, irrigation and season, etc
➢ Farmyard manure, poultry manure and compost neemcake , groundnut cake and
vermicompost are different sources of organic manures can be used in tomato
cultivation.
➢ The entire quantity of FYM or compost 250q/ha is incorporated at the time of
ploughing.
➢ Half of N and full dose of P and K is applied as basal and the remaining half dose of N
is applied as top dressing in two equal splits i.e. at 30 and 45 days after transplanting
➢ Excess application of nitrogen results in luxurious plant growth and unfruitfulness.
➢ The application of phosphorous improves root development and has pronounced effect
on increasing number of flowers.
➢ Adequate amount of potassium is also required for growth yield and quality.
➢ Tomato is highly responsive to foliar application of nutrients, especially when applied
at critical stages.
➢ Fertilizer doses: Open pollinated varieties: 120kg N, 80kg P 2O5 and 50kg K2O /ha
Hybrids: 180kg N. 150kg P2O5 and 120kg K2O /ha
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Water Management:
➢ Tomato requires adequate moisture throughout the growth period.
➢ Tomato needs very careful irrigation which should be sufficient at right time.
➢ It is necessary to maintain an even moisture supply.
➢ Over watering is harmful as insufficient irrigation.
➢ A period of drought followed by a sudden heavy watering during the fruiting period
may cause cracking of fruits.
➢ During autumn, field moisture plays a vital role in the incidence of leaf curl virus.
➢ Excessive moisture enhances the incidence of leaf curl virus.
➢ When the tomato plants are small, frequent watering is necessary in the root zone.
➢ Irrigate the crops at an interval of 3-4days during summer and 10-12days during winter.
➢ Critical stages of irrigation in tomato are during flowering, fruit setting and at fruit
development stages.
Use of Growth regulators
➢ In tomato growth regulators can be used to increase fruit set at high and low
temperature.
➢ The foliar application of parachlorophenoxy acetic acid at 50-100ppm at the flowering
stage increases the fruit set at low and high temperature.
➢ Foliar spray of NAA at 10-20ppm is widely used to improve seedlings growth , fruit
Intercultural operations:
➢ For raising successful crop, gap filling, hoeing, earthing up, staking, pruning and
mulching are required.
➢ In order to maintain adequate plant population, gap filling is done in the evening and
soon after the field is irrigated.
➢ The critical period for checking weeds is 35-40 days after transplanting. Keep the crop
free from weeds by timely hoeing and weeding.
➢ The cost of cultivation of crop may be reduced to some extent by applying herbicides
in place of manual weeding.
➢ Application of pre emergence herbicide like Alachlor (1-1.25kg/ha), Oxadiazon
(1.0kg/ha) or Nitrofen (1.0kg/ha) and post emergence herbicide like Metribuzin
(0.5kg/ha) control the weed effective.

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➢ Staking in tomato keeps the fruit above ground and it induces earliness and uniformity
in fruits, facilitates spraying and other intercultural operations and it also increase plant
stand per unit area.
➢ Pruning is important for tomatoes, especially for thick bush and indeterminate types.
➢ While pruning in tomato plants all the side shoots are removed by pinching .
Harvesting:
➢ The time of harvesting depends upon the purpose and distance from the market. Tomato
fruits can be harvested on the following stages:
o Mature green stage: For distant markets, the fruits should be picked in mature green
stage when fruits are still green but fully developed. Fruits of some varieties show
the presence of light colour or whitish area on the blossom end on this stage.
o Pink stage or turning pink stage: For the local markets, the fruit should picked in
the pink or pink turning stage. In this stage 3/4th of the surface towards blossom
ends show pink colour.
o Ripe stage: When fruits are to be used for home or table purpose. When most of the
surface of the fruit is red and pink but shows no indications of softness.
o Over ripe stage: When fruits attain maximum colour and become soft. Such fruits
are
suitable for processing purposes.
Yield
➢ The yield of tomato depends on many factors like soil, variety, season and
management practices followed
➢ However on an average improved varieties yields about 300-350q/ha and hybrids
500-600q/ha.

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LECTURE-3 online
class – Date.15.04.2020
PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF TOMATO:

Blossom end- rot:
Symptoms:
➢ Brown, water soaked discolouration appears at the blossom end of the fruit.
➢ The spot enlarge and darken rapidly.
➢ The fruits became sunken, leathery and dark coloured.
➢ The affected tissues became soft and finally fruits rot.
Causes/Factors:
➢ Sudden change in the rate of transpiration specially moisture stresses.
➢ Increasing level of nitrogen in the fruit.
➢ Continuously high evapotranspiration regime and a large leaf area.
➢ Deficiency of Calcium.
Remedy/Management:
➢ Give light and frequent irrigations to maintain optimum soil moisture.
➢ Apply recommended quantity of nitrogen.
➢ Spray crop with calcium chloride (0.5%0 at fruit development
Fruit Cracking: The surface of mature green and ripe fruits cracks at the stem end. It is
common disorder observed during rainy season. The cracking is two types: Radial : The
cracking starts from the stem end and develop in ripe fruits. It is more serious. Concentric:
The cracking appears around the shoulder of the green fruits.

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Causes Factors:
➢ Long dry spell.
➢ Moisture stress condition due to irregular irrigations.
➢ Sudden fluctuation in day and night temperature.
➢ Exposure of fruits to sun light.
➢ Boron deficiency.
Remedy/ Management:
➢ Maintain optimum soil moisture through light irrigations.
➢ Spray borax at 0.3 to 0.4% on tomato seedlings in the nursery just before
transplanting and repeat the spray 30 days after transplanting.
➢ Grow resistant varieties like Punjab chhuharra, ArkaSourabh, Pant T-1, Pusa Ruby,
etc.
➢ Harvest the fruits before fully ripe.
Sun –Scalding:
Symptoms:
➢ Both green and ripe fruits get blistered and water soaked.
➢ Ripen unevenly, so that yellow patches appear on the side of fruits.
➢ The surfaces of affected fruits show burning effect.
➢ Severely damaged patches enlarge and tissues are damaged and shrink.
Causes/Factors:
➢ Due to severe pruning and training.
➢ Plants having less foliage.
Remedy/Management:
➢ Always avoid excess pruning and training during summer.
➢ Avoid wider plant spacing
➢ Avoid turning over the plants at the time of harvesting.
Puffiness:
Symptoms:
➢ The affected fruits are light in weight and feel soft.
➢ Surface of the fruit is flattened and loculer cavities are large and partially filled
with pulp and seeds.

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➢ Outer wall of the grown fruits continuous to develop normally but growth of
remaining internal tissues is retarded.
Causes/Factors:
➢ Lack of fertilization.
➢ Abortion of embryo after fertilization.
➢ High temperature and high soil moisture.
➢ Application of high dose of nitrogen.
➢ Necrosis of vascular placental tissues of fruits.
Remedy/Management:
➢ Avoid over watering.
➢ Apply less nitrogen during short days and low light intensity then when grown under
long days and high light intensity.
➢ Irrigate crop very lightly and increase the interval of irrigations.
Cat-face
Symptoms:
➢ Distortions of the blossom end rot.
➢ Development of ridges, furrows and indentations in a localized area of fruit which
resemble to catface.
Causes/Factors:
➢ Abnormal growing conditions during formation of blossoms.
Remedy/Management:
➢ Grow varieties free from this disorder.
➢ Follow good management practices.
➢ Cultivate the tomato in normal growing condition.
DELAYED RIPENING
Symptoms:
 In the process of ripening of fruits, the green chlorophyll pigment is degraded and
yellow orange carotenoid and the lycopene pigments are synthesized.
Causes:
 Both high and low temperature causes delayed ripening and colour development.
 Similarly, at temperature less than 100 C, ripening and colour development becomes
disturbed.
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Remedial Measures:
 In Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter growing condition, the plants should be
sprayed with Ethrel @ 250 ppm at turning stage of the fruits which hastens ripening
and produce early yield.
 In winter, when temperature is not favourable for ripening and colour development.
The mature green fruits may be harvested and dipped in 500 ppm Ethrel solution for
3-4 hours. After treatments, the fruits are heaped under straw covering which hastens
ripening.
FLOWER AND FRUIT DROP

Symptoms:
It is one of the major constraints in chilli cultivation and sometimes it is noticed in
tomato also.
Causes:
Low Relative Humidity (RH) and high temperature condition which results in excess
transpiration and water deficient in the plant and cause abscission of buds, flowers
and small fruits
Decrease in light intensity
Short day and high temperature condition
High temperature during early flowering stages
Remedial Measures:
Irrigate the crop at flowering and fruit set stage
Foliar application of 50 ppm NAA at full bloom stage
Foliar application of 20 ppm NAA at 1st flower opening followed by 2 sprays at 30
days intervals increases the fruit set.

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LECTURE-2

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF TOMATO:

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

FLOWER AND FRUIT DROP

Dr. Umesh Thapa , Ph.D., Post-Doc ( Italy)

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