CULTIVATION

Sowing

Line sowing of seeds may be done in the raised beds. The seeds should be sown thinly, leaving 2.5–3 cm spacing between rows. Soon after sowing, the beds should be irrigated using a rose can and covered with paddy straw or coconut fronds. Water should be sprinkled on the beds every day. The seeds germinate in 7–10 days. The plants must be hardened as they approach transplanting day. This is done by judicious adjustments of water supply and by exposing the seedlings to open weather. Spraying 4000 ppm sodium chloride can also help in hardening seedlings. They are ready for transplanting 4–5 weeks after sowing. At the time of transplanting, the plant should be about 7.5–10 cm in height, with a sturdy stem. Spraying 10% sugar solution several days before transplanting is reported to improve survival rate and to promote the plant's growth.

A hundred grams of asafoetida mixed with five litres of water can be used for treating the root portion of the seedlings. They should be soaked for 15 to 30 minutes in the solution before transplanting in the main field. This prevents soil borne bacterial diseases.

After uprooting from the nursery bed, the roots of seedlings can also be dipped in cow dung and cow's urine slurry/cow pat pit/amrut pani/panchagavya overnight before transplanting to the field. The auxins and nitrogen in the urine and dung help in better root growth and early establishment.

Main field preparation

A well prepared seed bed with 4–5 ploughings is necessary for transplanting tomato. The seedlings are transplanted on flat beds, on the sides of raised beds or ridges. The latter is preferred since it prevents the fruits appearing on the lower branches from making direct contact with the soil.

Transplanting

Transplanting can be done on small flat beds in light soils where irrigation is available and on shoulders in shallow furrows where irrigation water is scanty. On heavy soils, the seedlings are normally transplanted on ridges. The seedlings are transplanted in rows 60–75 cm apart. The planting distance within a row is 30 cm for determinate varieties and 60 cm for indeterminate varieties. For hybrids, the distance can be increased, based on types. It was reported from certain trials that planting in a double row system (30 cm x 30 cm x 1m) on raised beds can generate high yields with healthy fruits. Raised bed methods need less water and the incidence of pests and disease is also low. For mechanical harvesting and for varieties suited for processing, a closer spacing should be adopted. For hybrids, the row spacing should be wide whereas a close spacing should be adopted between plants. Spacing differs for varieties and hybrids. It ranges between 60– 120 cm between rows and 30 to 60 cm between plants.

Direct sowing

The tomato is also cultivated by direct seeding. This results in early flowering, early fruiting and less incidence of pest and disease. Close spacing in direct seeding has the advantage of higher yields as well. Seeding of 3–5 seeds in a clump at 25–30 cm ensures 2–3 plants per clump. After the plants have established, thinning should be done to maintain only 1–2 seedlings per hill.

Weeds

Weeds are problematic and care should be taken especially during the initial stages of plant growth. Weeding is mostly done manually. Forty-five days after transplanting is the most critical stage of crop- weed competition in tomato. If the weeds are allowed to compete with the crop, its yield is reduced drastically. The plants require frequent shallow hoeing especially during the first four weeks after transplanting. This facilitates soil aeration for proper root development. Deep cultivation is injurious, since it causes damage to the roots and exposure of moist soil to the surface. Hoeing can be done to loosen the soil after every watering. This process also helps in controlling weeds. Two earthing-ups are sufficient for good growth.

Updated on : Dec 2014