Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.

Family: Solanaceae

Dr. T.K. Hazarika

Head
Dept. of HAMP
Mizoram University
Tomato is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetable in the world ranking second
in importance next to potato. Fruits are eaten raw as salad and cooked and are used in the preparation
of sauces, pickles, puri, paste, syrup, ketchup and many other items. In India, tomato occupies 3rd
position in area and 2nd .in production among vegetables. It contains good amount of vitamins and
variety of colours and flavours to food. Green tomatoes are used for pickles and preserves. Tomato
seeds contains 24% oil and used as salad oil and in manufacture of margarine. By virtue of its many
attributes, it is considered as a favourite crop for research by the scientists all over the world.
Origin and distribution
It is originated in Peru of South Africa and name of the crop came from Azetic (Central
Mexico) word “Tomati”. The crop is recent origin and first report of tomato cultivation was from Italy
in 1544. After 25 years, it was introduces to the English, Spanish and mid-European garden as a
curiosity.
The pathway of spread of tomato is given below:
Peru

Mexico (Domestication)

USA After conquest Mexico by Cortes Galleeor Trade (1571)

Phillipines
Porturgal
Spain

Other European countries Africa and middle east Other Asian countries

Area and production

In India it is grown in the states like Bihar, Karnataka, UP, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. In India it is grown in an area of 879.6 thousand ha with a
production of 18226.6 thousand MT and productivity of 20.7 MT/ha.
Nutritive value and medicinal use
Tomato occupies a prime position in the list of “protective foods” since it is a rich source of
minerals like Ca (48 mg/100g), Na (12.9 mg), trace elements, Cu (0.19 mg), vitamins like vit A (900

1|Page
IU), vit C (27 mg), vit B, essential amino acids and healthy organic acids like citric, formic and acetic
acids.
The attractive red colour of fruit is due to Lycopene and yellow colour is due to carotenoids.
Peculiar flavour of tomato is due to presence of ethanol, acetaldehyde and a number of volatile
flavour components. Different forms of tomatine, a steroidal glycoalkaloid are identified from various
parts of the plant.
In England, it is popularly known as “Love apple” while in India it is known as “poor man’s
orange”(Due to good nutritive value).
Classification
The genus Lycopersicon is devided into 2 subgenera:
a) Eulycopersicon
Characterised by red fruited edible species with carotenoid pigmentation. Cultivated
tomato L. esculentum (large fruits) and L. pimpenellifolium (Small fruits in cluster) are
included in this group.
b) Eriopersicon
Green fruited species with anthocyanin pigmentation and following species are under this
group.
i. L. pissi
ii. L. peruvianum
iii. L. hirsutum
iv. L. glandulosum
v. L. cheesmani
All the five species are wild tomato species.
Bailey (1949) classified tomatoes into 2 spp. L. esculentum and L. pimpenellifolium with five
botanical varieties like.
L. esculentum var. commune (Common tomato)
L. esculentum var. grandifolium (Large leaved tomato)
L. esculentum var. validum (upright tomato)
L. esculentum var. cerasiforme (cherry tomato)
L. esculentum var. pyriformae (pear tomato)

Tomato can also be classified on the basis of growth habit:

1. Indeterminate: Terminal buds ends in leafy buds and there is continuous vegetative growth
(e.g. Pusa Ruby, Sweet 72).
2. Determinate: Terminal buds ends in a floral bud and further vegetative growth is checked
(e.g. AC 142, HS 101).
3. Semi-determinate: In between the above 2. (e.g. S-12, Pusa early dwarf).
On the basis of temperature requirements, it can be classified as:
1. Normal temperature requirements: Set the fruits at 15-20 °C night temperature. (e.g. Pusa
Ruby, Sweet 72).
2. Hot set: can set the fruits at temperature more than 30°C (e.g. HS 101, Saladette, Punjab
tropic).
3. Cold set: can set the fruits at temperature less than 15°C night temperature (e.g. HS 101, HS
102, HS 110, cold set).
Varieties
Arka Alok (BWR 5): determinate, resistant to bacterial wilt
Arka Vikas (Sel 22): Determinate, tolerant to mosaic

2|Page
Arka Saurabh (Sel 4): Resistant to fruit cracking
Arka Abha (BWR 1): Semi determinate, resistant to bacterial wilt
Arka Meghali: Suitable for rainy season cultivation
Arka Ashish: Tolerant to powdery mildew
Sel 120 : Resistant to nematode
Pusa Uphar, Pusa Gaurav, Pusa Ruby: Suitable for processing
Pusa Sadabahar: suitable for high and low temperature regimes
Pusa sheetal: Cold set variety, can set fruit at 8 ° or below.
Roma: suitable for long distance transportation
H-24: Resistant to TLCV disease.
Arka Abhijit (BRH-1): Arka Shreshtha (BRH-2): Resistant to Bacterial wilt
Pusa Hybrid 1: Tolerant to high temperature
Pusa Hybrid 2: Tolerant to nematode
Sel-1-6-1-4: Resistant to RKN.
Punjab Chhuhara: Pear shaped fruit, suitable for long distant transportation, susceptible to TLCV.
Hisar Anmol: Resistant to leaf curl
Hisar Lalit: Resistant to root knot nematode
Pant T-3: Suitable for processing
Pant Bahar: Resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt, suitable for processing.
Soil and climate:
Tomato is a day neutral warm season crop and cannot tolerate frost. Cool and dry weather is
preferred by the crop and optimum temperature is 21-28°C during day and 15-20°C during night.
Night temperature is more critical than day temperature. High temperature results in excerted stigma,
dryness of stigma, burning of anther tip, poor pollen dehiscence, low pollen viability and slow pollen
tube growth leading to low pollination and fruit set. Incidence of viral disease also more at higher
temperature. Optimum temperature for colour development is 21-24°C. Lycopene development will
be hampered above 27°C. Seed germination and pollen germination are adversely affected below 10
°C.
Tomato cannot withstand water logging. Hence, well drained fairly fertile soil, rich in organic
matter is preferred. It is moderately tolerant to acidic soil having pH 5.5 and ideal pH requirement is
6-7.
Sowing time:
It can be grown in almost all the year round. The sowing time may vary from place to place.
Under mild climatic conditions, where there is no danger of frost, three crops can be raised in a year.
In north India, for spring summer crop, the seeds are sown in November and transplanting in 2 nd
fortnight of January. In areas, where frost does occur, only 1 sowing in July-August with transplanting
in August-September. In hilly areas, seeds are sown in March-April and transplanted in April-May.
Seed rate
Open pollinated varieties: 400-500 g/ha
Hybrid varieties: 125-175 g/ha.
Seeds are sown in nursery bed and an area of 225 m2 is sufficient to raise seedlings of 1 ha. Treatment
of seeds with captan/captaf/ceresin/ Thiram @ 2 g /kg seed is essential. Similarly, seed beds are also
treated with steam or ½ litre of 40% formaline /m2 soil. Soon after fumigation, beds are covered with
polythene for 24 hours. If fumigation is not done, solarisation should be done to minimise attack of
3|Page
insects, pests and diseases. For solarisation, cover the beds with transparent plastic sheet during day
hours for 10 days. Ifd beds are not sterilized, drench with 0.2% brassicol/ captan.
Seeds are sown in lines at a distance of 7.5 cm between rows and after sowing rows are covered with
FYM and irrigated lightly with rose can. Diathene M-45 @0.2% should be sprayed every week to
control damping off.
The seedlings are ready for transplanting between 4-5 weeks after sowing. Hardening of
seedlings is essential for their establishment in main field and is done by withholding irrigation for 1
week before planting to reduce the available moisture to 20%.
Seedlings are transplanted to raised beds or on side of ridges. Field is ploughed 4-5 times and 80-90
cm width raised beds or ridges and furrows are prepared.
Spacing depends on growth habit (determinate, semi determinate or indeterminate) of varieties. The
various spacing followed are : 60 x 30 cm, 60 x 45 cm, 75 x 60 cm, 75 x 75 c. usually closed spacing
results in early and higher yields, but it may affect size of the fruits and increases incidence oif insect-
pest and diseases.
Nutritional requirements
Manures and fertilizer recommendation depends on growth habit and productivity of varieties and it
varies from state to state. In most of the states, in addition to 15-20 t of FYM, 100-125 kg N, 50-60 kg
P2O5 and 50-60 kg of K2O are recommended and recommendation for F1 hybrid is 250:250:250 kg/ha.
FYM should be incorporated in soil at the time of final ploughing. One third N, full of P and K may
be applied as basal either just before transplanting or 5-10 days after transplanting. Remaining 2/3rd N
may be applied on 20th and 45 days thereafter. Annual dose of 10 kg borax and 5 kg nSO4 as basal are
recommended for correctness of fruit cracking and to increase yield and productivity.
Irrigation
Tomato requires an ample supply of moisture. Water stress leads to stunted growth of plants and
dropping of flowers. Furrow irrigation is the most common method in tomato. The crop requires
adequate moisture throughout the growing period. Frequency of irrigation depends on the climatic and
soil conditions. Water stress at flowering stage will adversely affect flowering and productivity. A
long dry spell or drought condition followed by heavy irrigation leads to cracking of fruits. Similarly,
a dry spell after regular irrigation causes blossom end rot. Drip and sprinkler are become more
common in areas of water shortage.
First irrigation is required soon after transplanting. Too much water at the time of
transplanting and before fruit set has been found detrimental causing blossoms off. When plants are
small, frequent watering is necessary in the root zone. Irrigate the crops at an interval of 3-4 days
during summer and 10-15 days during winter to maintain the soil moderately wet.
Intercultural practices
Training and pruning
All indeterminate varieties are trained with wires, strings or stakes to prevent lodging and loss of
fruits by coming in contact with soils. It is done by providing individual stack or by erecting 2-2.5 m
long poles on either side of ridges for stretching GI wires. Branches of plants are supported on poles
or strings with twine.
Pruning is also generally followed in indeterminate varieties to improve size, shape and quality of
fruits.
Plant growth regulators
PGRs are beneficial for early yield, increase fruit set and to impart resistance to diseases. Some of the
PGRs found useful in tomato production are:
PGR Purpose Mode and time
GA3(5-25 ppm) High yield Seed treatment

4|Page
PCPA (10-20 ppm) High yield Seed treatment
DNOA (25-50 ppm) High yield Seed treatment
GA3(10 ppm) High yield Foliar spray
NAA (1000 ppm) High yield Foliar spray
PCPA (50 ppm) High yield Foliar spray
2,4 D (5 ppm) High yield Foliar spray
NAA (0.1 ppm) Increased fruit set Seed soaking for 24 hours
IAA (50 ppm) Increased fruit set in summer Seed soaking for 24 hours
PCPA (50-100 ppm) For increased fruit set at low Foliar spray at flower cluster
temperature
Ethrel 1000 ppm Ripening of fruits Whole plant spray at the
initiation of ripening.

Mulching
Mulches are used to reduce or increase soil temperature, suppress weed growth and conserve soil
moisture. Organic mulches like straw can reduce the soil temperature during summer season,
however, plastics are used to increase soil temperature during winter season for maintaining the
optimum temperature which is required for good growth, fruiting and quality of tomato.
Weeding
Field should be kept weed free by frequent weeding, hoeing and earthing up. Normal weed control
method followed by farmers is to give two hand weeding in the first and third fortnight. Application
of pendimethalin (1 kg a.i./ha) as pre-emergence spray alongwith 1 hand weeding at 45 days after
transplanting is ideal. Oxyflurofan (0.25 kg a.i./ha), Goal (0.25 kg a.i. /ha) and basalin (1 kg a.i./ha)
are ideal as pre-emergence application.
Harvesting
Crop starts yielding by 70 days after planting depending on varieties. Fruits harvesting should be at
the right stage which depends on purpose of fruits utilization, e.g. fresh market, processing, long
distance transportation etc. Mature green, turning, pink or half ripe, light red, red ripe or over ripe are
the maturity standards of tomato.
Mature green: Fruits fully grown, colour changes from green to yellowish and cavity filled with
seeds surrounded by jelly like substances. Harvested for long distance market.
Turning or breaker stage: Fruits firm, 1/4th portion of fruit changes to pink in colour, but the
shoulder still yellowish green. Harvested for long distance market.
Pink stage: 3/4th of whole fruit surface turns pink colour. Harvested for local market.
Light red: Entire fruit surface is red or pink but the flesh is firm. Harvested for local market.
Red ripe or hard ripe: Fully ripened and coloured. Flesh become soft. Harvested for processing and
for seed extraction.
Usually fruits are harvested with hand by a gentle twist so that the stalk is retained on the
plants. Intervals of harvests depends on season and it is twice a week during summer and weekly
during winter and rainy season.
Yield
Open pollinated varieties: 20-25 t/ha
F1 Hybrids: 50 t/ha

5|Page
 Packing, grading, storage and marketing
Fruits after harvesting are graded and packed in bamboo baskets or wooden boxes or paper cartoons.
Four grades specified by BIS are super A, Super, fancy and commercial. Good care should be taken to
remove bruised, cracked and damaged fruits before packing in baskets. Fruits can be stored for 2
weeks and 4 weeks at 10-13 °C when harvested at red and green stage respectively. Pre cooling of
fruits before storage and transportation enhances storage life.
Physiological disorders:
Fruit cracking
Fruit cracking is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Following 4 types of cracking are
noticed in tomato:
1. Radial cracking: Usually seen at ripoe stage and crack radiate from pedicel end to stylar end.
2. Concentric cracking: Seen around shoulder of fruit even at green stage.
3. Cuticular cracking: Seen at outer skin of fruit.
4. Burst: Burst occurs at certain point on shoulder of fruit.
Radial and concentric cracking are more common of which former one is more damaging.
A long dry spell of drought followed by sudden heavy irrigation, wide variation in day and
night temperature and high humidity cause fruit cracking.
Many crack resistant varieties like Crack proof, Ohio 832, Sioux, Anagha, anulicie were developed.
Blosson end rot
Water soaked spots appear at point of attachment and enlarge rapidly and affected portions become
sunken, leathery and dark coloured. This is mainly due to reduced soil moisture supply and high rate
of respiration at the time of fruit development. Deficiency of Ca also cause it. Balanced irrigation,
cultural practices, to conserve soil moisture and spraying of 0.5% CaCl2 are recommended.
Sun scald
Due to extreme heat, tissues on exposed fruit develop a blistered appearance to sunken areas which
have a light or grey colour on green fruit and yellow colour on red fruit. In varieties with heavy
foliage fruits are shaded and incidence of sun scald is led.
Puffiness
Under condition of high and low temperature and low soil moisture, fruits may be hollow, light
weight without seeds. This disorder is due to non fertilization of ovules, embryo abortion after
fertilization and necrosis of vascular and placental tissue after beginning of normal growth.
Catface
Catface is characterised by distortion, furrows, inundation and blotches on fruits. Any abnormal
growing condition at the formation of blossom causes distortion of cells of pistils. As a result, cells in
the blossom end of ovary die, turn black and form leathery blotched at the end of fruit.
Seed production
For seed production, it is essential to produce a healthy crop and plant should be true to type. It is
essential to maintain isolation distance of 50-10 m with other varieties. Agronomic practices are same
as for seed production of other vegetables. Field inspection and rouging should be conducted at pre-
flowering, flowering and fruiting stage.
Seed Extraction of Tomato
In Tomato, any one of the following 3 methods is generally used for seed extraction.
1. Fermentation method: The ripe fruits are crushed well by hand in a non- metallic container by
hand or by any mechanical method to make slurry. Fruit juice should not be allowed to drain out.
The entire material is kept as such till it ferments for 1-3 days. When fermentation is completed, it
shows profuse foam fermentation on the upper surface of material and tomato flesh will float at
6|Page
 the top and seeds will settle at the bottom. This liquid is decanted off and seeds are washed at
least 8-10 times with clean water. Seeds are separated thinly in the sun for drying.
2. Alkali treatment method: Selected fruits are cut into halves and the slimy mass containing seed
scooped out in a vessel with wooden sticks. The extracted material with pulp is treated with an
alkali mixture (300 g of washing soda ( KOH) is added to 4 L of boiling water) in equal volume.
When the alkali mixture is cooled, allow it all to stand overnight in an earthen pot. Next day, all
the seeds will settle down at the bottom of the container. The liquid is decanted off. Seeds are
washed thoroughly with clean water and allowed to dry in the sun.
3. Acid treatment: The slimy mass is separated and treated with HCL @ 5-6 ml per kg of pulp ( or
75 ml /12 kg of material) is thoroughly mixed and stirred left for about 30 minutes. The pulp is
then again stirred and washed thoroughly with clean water, and seeds are allowed to dry in the
sun.

Insect, pest and diseases

Tomato fruit borer (Heliothis armigera)
Green caterpillars attack during October-March. They roll over the leaves and find their way to
the fruits where they make holes.
Hand picking of insects and spraying of contact insecticide like carbaryl 0.2% and Inchlorophos
0.25%.
White fly (Bemisia tabaci)
Minute white pigmented insects suck sap of plants and causes yellowing and spreads leaf curl
virus.
Spraying of insecticides like Rogor and Dimecron at 8-10 days interval.
Serpentine leaf miner (Liriomyza Trifolii and L. bryonii)
Severe leaf mining accelerates leaf drop and retards growth and yield of plants. Mated female
punctures leaves and lays egges in leaf tissues. After hatching, larvae starts feeding in palisade
mesophyll cells of leaves while moving inside. Mines start from margin of leaves and progress
towards centre. Yellow larvae can be seen at end of vines.
Trap adults to yellow cards applied with adhesives. Burning infested dried leaves. Spraying of
neem oil-garlic mixture early in the morning (since larvae emerge from leaves during early
morning) before sunrise.

Jassids (Emposca devestan)

They suck the sap from leaves causing curling of leaves.
Spraying of Endrin, Parathon, malathion 0.05% Epilechna beetle (Epilechna vigintioctopunctata)
Both larvae and adult feed on leaves. Feeding is irregular and give the plant a charactersitic lace
like appearance. Spraying of endosulfun, dichlorophos or chloropyroiphos @ 0.1%.

Diseases
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial wilt (Rolstania solanacearum)
Most serious disease in high rainfall warm humid areas. Disease plant wilts and dries off. Lower
leaves may drop before wilting. Plants are stunted with yellow leaves. Pith of root is dark brown
and black in colour and water soaked. The disease is soil inhabitant.
Crop rotation with marigold or paddy, use of resistant varieties like Sakthi, Mukthi, Arka Alok,
Anagha. Application of oil cakes, neem cakes, coconut pits are the control measures.
Fungal disease
Late blight (Phytophthora infestans)
Brown to purple black lesions occurs in leaflets, petioles, fruit and stem. At later stage plant die.
This disease appears at low temperature and high humidity.
Application of Indofil-M-45 and Diathene Z-78 are effective.
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum)
This disease is common in ewarm humid climate and is temperature dependant. Optimum
temperature of 28°C is suitable for fungal growth. This fungus is soil inhabitant.
Clearing of leaf vein lets, dropping of petiole, yellowing of lower leaves lead to death of plant at
later stage are the symptoms. Browning of vascular bundles is also common at later stage.
Crop rotations, use of resistant varieties are sure and effective control.
7|Page
 Early blight (Alternaria solani)
Fungus is soil borne. Circular angular dark brown spots appear on leaves, stem and fruit.
Concentric circles of 2-5 mm in diameter are formed at advance stage. Fruits are affected showing
sunken large dark brown leathery spots on green and round fruits.
Seed treatment in hot water at 52-55°C and spray of Diathane M-45 or Diathane Z-78 are
effective.
Damping off and root rot (Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani)
It leads to pre emergence damping off which consists of killing of seedlings from initial stage of
germination to the emergence above soil. Post emergence consists of rapid shrinking and
darkening of cortical tissue of the hypocotyls.
Seed treatment with cerasan or COC @ 2 g/kg of seed and spraying of seedlings with captan or
phytolon are effective for control of post-emergence damping off. This disease is more serious
when excess water is supplied and temperature is high.
Viral disease
Leaf curl virus
It is characterised by curling of leaves, reduction in leaf size, excessive branching and stunted
growth.
It is spreads through white fly (Bemisia tabacii)
Spraying of Rogor and Dimecron @ 8-10 days interval.
Tobacco mosaic virus
It causes mild mottling of foliage. Sometimes leaf blade is reduced to fern like appearance.
Yellow chlorosis is more prominent. Fruits are also distorted. This disease spreads through debris
of infected plants through soil and mechanical means.
Use of resistant varieties, proper field sanitation are the control measures.

8|Page