Varieties
A large number of tomato varieties/hybrids have been produced by various organisations in the country to meet the needs of local growing conditions and consumers’ preferences. These varieties have desirable traits such as early fruiting, high yield, good fruit size, colour and disease resistance. Typical varieties cultivated in Tamil Nadu include, Co 1, Co 2, Marutham (Co 3), PKM 1, Pusa ruby and Paiyur 1 Hybrid - COTH 1.
CO 1
It is a pureline selection isolated from the American variety ‘Pearl Harbour’. The crop is adapted to the tropical plains of Tamil Nadu. The plants are dwarf, semi spreading and needs no staking. Flowering occur 50-55 days after transplanting. Each plant, on an average, bears 55 fruits. The fruits are nearly round and smooth without any grooves. When unripe they are pale green in colour and turn an attractive crimson red in colour when ripe. The proportion of flesh to seed content is high but the fruits are susceptible to cracking. The fruits contain 0.69% acidity, 17.5 mg/100g of ascorbic acid and 2.7 % reducing sugars. Yields are typically 35 tonnes/ha in a crop duration of 135 days.
CO 2
The plants are semi-dwarf with erect habit and need no staking. Harvesting can be started 100 days after sowing and continued up to 145 days, with eight harvests. The fruits are smooth, medium sized, flat with 4 to 5 furrows. Each fruit weighs an average 55 to 60 g. Unripe fruits are green in colour that turn capsicum red after ripening. Fruits are borne in clusters of 4 to 5, yielding 20 to 25 fruits per plant. The seed content is modest (0.65%). As the fruits are devoid of cracking they can withstand long distance transport. In a crop duration of 140 days, this variety can yield a maximum of 41 tonnes/ha. The fruit are nutritionally superior to CO 1 with a higher ascorbic acid content of 19.5 mg of 100 g juice.
CO 3 (Marutham)
Plants are compact, small spread, dwarf and determinate. The variety lends itself for high density planting with a spacing of 60 x 30 cm. Fruits are round, globular in shape, medium sized, smooth, attractive and weigh 45 to 50 g. Plants flower in 50 to 55 days after sowing and the first harvest can be taken 30 days later. The fruits are parrot green colour when unripe and reach capsicum red on ripening. Each plant yields 30 to 40 fruits. The variety is a cluster bearing type (4 to 5 per cluster). The fruits contain 3.8% acidity and 25 mg/100 g of Vitamin C. This variety is capable of yielding up to 40 tonne/ha under close spacing in 100 to 105 days.
PKM 1
The variety is an induced mutant from a local variety called Annanji. The plants are determinate. The fruits are flat–round, attractive capsicum red colour with prominent green shoulders even after ripening. Fruits are uniform in shape, firm and ideal for long distance transport. The fruits contain 0.99% acidity and 23.7 mg/100g of Vitamin C. Yields ranging from 30 to 35 tonne/ha are typical in a crop duration of 135 days.
Paiyur – 1
The variety is an hybrid derivative of a cross between Pusa Ruby and CO 3. The variety is suitable for rainfed tomato growing areas of Salem and Dharmapuri districts. Paiyur-1 is an early flowering (20-25 days from transplanting) variety with an extended harvest period of 10 to 12 pickings. The fruits are round, medium sized, with a slight ribbing at the calyx and medium firmness, ensuring keeping quality and suitability for distant transport. This variety is tolerant to fruit borer and diseases such as leaf spot and leaf curl virus. Yields are typically 30 tonnes/ha.
COTH 1 Hybrid Tomato
The hybrid was developed and released from Horticultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore. The plants need staking with wooden sticks. The fruits are round to slightly oblong, medium sized (50 g/fruit), deep red in colour with thick flesh and borne in clusters of 4 to 5. The fruits are acidic (0.61%). The estimated yield is 96 tonnes/ha in a crop duration of 110 - 115 days after transplanting. This hybrid is adapted for cultivation in Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Pudukkotai, Erode and Kanyakumari districts.
Package of Practices
Soil
Tomato is a warm season crop and can be grow at temperatures of between 10°C and 30°C. The optimum range of temperature is 21 to 24°C. Soil that is well drained, fairly fertile, rich in organic matter with a fair water holding capacity is ideal for its growth. Tomatoes perform best in soil having a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Season
Variety May-June and November-February
Hybrid May-June (Adi) and October-November (Aipasi)
Seed rate
Variety - 400 g per ha. Nursery area 100 sq. m.
Hybrid - 150 g/ha.
Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride @ 4g/kg or fungicides such as Captan or Thiram @ 2g/kg (one tea spoon per kg of seed) of seed 24 hr before sowing to control seed borne pathogens. Just before sowing treat the seeds with Azospirillum @ 40 g/400 g of seed (for variety) or 20g/150 g (for hybrid). Dry the treated seeds in the shade for 30 min and then use for sowing. The purpose of seed treatment with Trichodrema viride or captan/ thiram is to protect the crop from seed borne diseases and Azospirillum for better germination and growth.
Nursery
Tomato seed is very small in size and normally sown in raised nursery beds. Prepare the raised nursery beds by adding organic manure, sand and red earth in equal proportions. Sow shade-dried seeds in lines at 10 cm apart in the raised nursery beds and cover with sand. Because F1 hybrid seed is costly, they can be sown individually in small poly cups or pro-trays to reduce the quantity of seed required. To protect the seeds from heavy rains seeds beds should be covered by a thin layer of straw or dried grass which can be removed after seed germination. Pot water the seed beds with a rose can and if the nursery area is prone to diseases and pests, drench the bed/container with copper oxychloride at 2.5 g/l immediately after germination and again seven days later. Apply carbofuran 3G granules at sowing at 10g/sq.m. The seeds germinate in about seven to eight days. The seedlings are ready for transplanting about 25-30 days after sowing.
Preparation of main field
Plough the land three or four times to a fine tilth. Apply farm yard manure (FYM) @ 25 t/ha at the time of last ploughing. Form ridges and furrows as per the spacing recommended.
Co 1, Paiyur 1: 60 x 45 cm
Co 2, PKM 1: 60 x 60 cm
Co 3: 45 x 30 cm
Hybrids: 60 x 45 cm
Apply 2 kg (10 packets) of Azospirillum per ha mixed with FYM before planting. Irrigate the furrows and transplant 25 day old seedlings root dipped in Pseudomonas fluorescens solution (5g/l of water for half an hour with the ball of the earth) on the ridges adopting the required spacing between the plants. In the initial stage, seedlings are transplanted at the side of the ridge and later earthing up is done to keep plant in the middle of the ridge.
Irrigation
Light irrigation is given on the third day after planting and subsequently at weekly intervals or once in 10 days depending upon the soil moisture conditions.
Manuring Variety
Fertilizers/Manure Basal dose Top dressing
FYM 25 t/ha
Urea 160 kg/ha on the 30 th day after planting during earthing up.
Super 625.00 kg/ha
MOP 85 kg/ha
Borax 10 kg/ha
Zinc sulphate 50 kg/ha
Spray 1 ppm (1 ml in 1 l) Triacontanol, 15 days after transplanting and at the full bloom stage to yield.
Hybrid
Fertilizers/Manure Basal dose Top dressing
FYM 25 t/ha
110 kg/ha on 30th day after planting
Urea 220 kg/ha on the 60th day after planting
Super 1560 kg/ha
MOP 420 kg/ha
Borax 10 kg/ha
Zinc sulphate 50 kg/ha
Spray 1 ppm (1 ml in 1 lit) Triacontanol, 15 days after transplanting and at full bloom stage to the yield.
Weed control
Apply Pendimethalin 1250-1500 ml/ha as a pre-emergence herbicide in combination with early post-emergence (10 days after planting).
After cultivation for hybrids
1. Weeding and hoeing on 30 th day and earth up
2. Stake the plants 30 days after planting with 1.0 -1.5 m tall stakes
3. Remove the side branches up to 20 cm from ground level.
Plant protection
Pests
1. Fruit borer - ( Helicoverpa armigera )
Symptoms:
Polyphagous pest attacks most cultivated crops and a major pest of tomato. Young larvae feed on tender foliage; advanced stage larvae (4 th instars onwards) attack the fruits. Larvae bore circular holes into immature fruit but do not fully enter them. Large fruit are only partly damaged by larvae but they are invariably invaded later by fungi, bacteria and other pathogens that spoil the fruit completely. Larvae move from one fruit to another and one caterpillar may damage between two to eight fruit.
Management:
Non pesticide-based control
Collection and destruction of damaged fruits and larvae.
Summer ploughing to expose and kill pupae in the soil
Grow simultaneously 40day old African marigold planted along with 25 day old tomato seedlings (1 : 16 rows) to attract adults for egg laying.
Set up pheromone traps at @12 / ha and change the lure once in 15 days to monitor the adult moth activity.
Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 50000/ha/week over a six week period, with the first release corresponding with either the initiation of flowering and on an economic threshold level of 4 to 6 moths caught per pheromone trap.
Spray NSKE 50g/l of water to kill early stage larvae
Set up 15 to 20 bird perches per ha to encourage predatory birds
Spray Ha NPV 1.5 × 10 12 POBs /ha adding jaggery 20g/lit as a phagostimulant.
Pesticide-based control
Need based application of endosulfan 35 EC 2ml/lit or carbaryl 50WP 2g/ lit or quinalphos 2.5ml/ lit or Bacillus thuringiensis 2g/lit.
2. Leaf eating caterpillar - (Spodoptera litura)
Freshly hatched larvae feed gregariously on foliage, scrapping the leaves on the ventral surface at night. During severe infestations the entire crop may be defoliated. Larvae are also known to feed on young fruits.
Management:
Non pesticide-based control
Plough fields to exposes the pupae to predation
Flood the field to drown the hibernating larvae
Hand collect and destroy egg masses and young larvae on skeletonized leaves.
Hand pick larvae and kill them
Grow castor as a trap crop along the field border and irrigation channel to attract the egg-laying moths.
Set up pheromone traps @12 / ha to monitor adult activity and change the lure once in 15 days.
Spray Sl NPV1.5 ×10 12 POBs/ha in the early evening.
Pesticide-based control
Need based application of endosulfan 35 EC 2ml/lit or carbaryl 50WP 2g/ lit or quinalphos 2.5ml/ lit or Bacillus thuringiensis 2g/lit in 400 lit of water.
Provide poison bait with carbaryl 1.25 kg, rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg and water 7.5 lit/ha.
3. Serpentine leaf miner - ( Liriomyza trifolii )
Minute orange yellow apodous maggots mine epidermal layers of the leaves and cause serpentine mines that result in the drying and drooping of leaves. The first larval stage of the leaf miner burrows into the mesophyll tissue. The second stage also feeds in the mesophyll tissue. The third stage larva concentrates its feeding towards the upper leaf surface. When it matures the larva cuts a longitudinal slit in the leaf and leaves to pupate on the leaf surface or on the ground. Damage caused by a single larva is minimal, however when large populations are present they are capable of destroying leaves and affecting the growth of plants.
Management:
Non pesticide-based control
Spray NSKE 50 g/lit to control infestation (Soak the required powdered neem seed kernel overnight, filter and mix with water for field application).
4. Whitefly - (Bemesia tabaci )
Nymphs and adults suck the sap from the tender leaves. The affected leaves become yellowish, wrinkle, curl downward and are ultimately shed. The honeydew exuded by these insects favour the development of sooty mould. Whitefly also act as vectors for leaf curl virus disease.
Management:
Non pesticide-based control
Install yellow sticky traps(12/ha) smeared with sticky substances to attract and kill insects.
Judicious use nitrogen and irrigation to avoid excessive growth.
Remove alternative weed hosts, such as Abutilon indicum.
Pesticide-based control
Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC @1ml /lit or triazophos 40EC 2ml/ lit or fish oil rosin soap 25g/lit or dimethoate 2ml/lit or methyl dematon 25EC 2ml/ lit . Add tepol 5ml/10lit as an adhering agent. Apply insecticides in the early morning when adults are less active.
5. Thrips - (Thrips tabaci, Franklieniella schultzei)
Due to the scraping by adult thrips, tender foliage becomes spotted, pale and silvery streaks appear on the affected plants. Eggs, nymphs and adults may be found together at any time during the summer and produce many overlapping generations. Besides feeding, thrips act as a disease vector and transmit tomato spotted wilt virus.
Management
Non pesticide-based control
Install yellow sticky traps smeared with sticky substances to attract and kill insects.
Release first instar larvae of the green lace wing bug Chrysoperla carnea @10000/ha and encourage coccinellid predators.
Pesticide-based control
Spray methyl dematon 25 EC 2ml/lit or dimethoate 30EC 2ml/lit or endosulfan 2ml/lit to control thrips.
6. Spotted leaf beetle – ( Epilachna spp )
The polyphagous beetle breed on brinjal, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, beans and tomato.
Both adults and grubs cause considerable damage to leaves by scrapping away chlorophyll from epidermal layers of leaves which become skeletonised and gradually dry up. Adults are active fliers and move about from plant to plant. Larvae are stationary on the leaves and can occur in large numbers.
Management:
Non pesticide-based control
Collect and destroy damaged leaves and egg masses on leaves.
Shake the plants to dislodge larvae, pupae and adults in a pail of water containing kerosene early in the morning.
Pesticide-based control
Spray carbaryl 50 WP 2g/lit or endosulfan 35EC 2ml/lit or malathion 50Ec 2ml/lit.
7. Red spider mite - (Tetranychus cinnabarinus)
Mites are found on the under surface of leaves covered with fine silken webs. As the leaves lose sap they become reddish brown, bronzy, wither and die. Red spider mites prefer to feed from the underside of leaves located in the tops of plants where it is warm and dry, although as they travel along the plant, feeding marks can be found along the main vein of leaves near the petiole. As populations increase, plant damage spreads across the leaves.
Management:
Pesticide-based control
Spray dicofol 18.5EC 3ml/lit or ethion 50 EC 4ml/lit or wettable sulphur 6g/lit
8. Leafhoppers - (Amrasca devastans )
Both adults and nymphs suck cell sap from the leaves and inject toxic saliva into plant tissues. Infested leaves show yellowing followed by crinkling and curling that leads to bronzing and hopper burn. Plants become stunted and may be killed in severe cases.
Management:
Pesticide-based control
Spray monocrotophos 36WSC 2ml/lit or dimethoate 30EC 2ml/lit combined with NSKE 50g/lit of water.
9. Root knot nematode – ( Meloidogyne incognata)
Symptoms Î
Affected plants show stunted growth with chlorotic leaves showing symptoms of wilting Typical symptoms of the nematode infested plants are the presence of knots in the roots.
Management
Non pesticide-based control
Removal and destruction of weed hosts and other host plants in and around the field. Application of organic manure can reduce the nematode population
Field sanitation – removal of crop stubble and roots after harvesting
Crop rotation with non host crops
Leave the field fallow in the summer after two or three deep ploughings
Application of neem cake at 250kg/ha
Pesticide-based control
Application of carbofuran 3 G @ 1 kg a.i./ha
Diseases
1. Damping off – ( Pythium sp)
Symptoms Î
Pythium spp. occur in nurseries causing death of young seedlings. After germination, rotting starts from the basal part of the seedling, complete rotting of the radicle and plumule and toppling of infected seedlings. Infected tissues appear soft and water soaked.
Management
Treating the seeds 24 hours before sowing with Trichoderma viride @ 4g/kg or captan or thiram at 2g/kg of seeds (one full tea spoon per kg of seed). Avoid stagnant water by preparing a raised seed bed. Control by soil drenching with copper oxychloride at 2.5 g/litre.
2. Tomato spotted wilt Vector (Thrips tabaci )
Symptoms
Young leaves curl slightly downwards and inwards and show wilting symptoms and streaks in the shoot portion. Affected young plants don’t produce fruit. If mature plants are infested, then fruits show pale red or yellow areas with concentric circular markings in the normal red skin of the fruit.
Management
Summer ploughing
Removal and destruction of affected plants
Seed treatment with carbendazim 2g/kg of seed
Growing barrier crops like Crotolaria juncea
3. Leaf curl disease Vector: (Bemisia tabaci )
Symptoms Î
Curling and puckering of the leaves as also blistering and shortening.
Stunted growth in affected plants
Presence of leafy out growths called “enations” on the under surface of leaves followed by mottling and vein clearing.
Complete or partial sterility
Management
Removal and destruction of affected plants
Spraying of methyl demeton 2 ml/lit or monocrotophos 1.5 ml/lit to control the whitefly vector.
Harvest
The fruits are harvested at breaker stage (when a ¼ of the surface shows ripening symptom). For ready consumption and local markets, they can be harvested after full ripening.