Ppt on Tomato: Origin, Nutritional Value, Uses And Production Technology

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important vegetable crop in the Solanaceae family, valued for its nutritional content and diverse uses. This topic covers the origin, botanical characteristics, varieties, cultivation practices, and disease and pest management essential for high-yield and quality tomato production. Understanding these aspects is crucial for students and professionals in horticulture and competitive agricultural exams.
Introduction and Origin
  • Tomato is a widely grown vegetable crop worldwide.
  • Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum; Family: Solanaceae; Chromosome number: 2n=24.
  • Originated in the Andean region (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia); domesticated in Mexico.
  • Introduced to India by the British in 1828.
Botanical Description
  • Annual herb with a tap root system (up to 50 cm deep).
  • Stem: Erect, solid, hairy, glandular; height 2–4 m.
  • Leaves: Compound, pinnatifid, irregularly toothed margins.
  • Flowers: Small, yellow, borne in racemes; perfect and hypogynous.
  • Fruit: Fleshy berry, globular to oblate, 2–15 cm diameter; color varies from green to red/yellow/orange.
  • Seeds: Numerous, kidney-shaped, hairy, light brown.
Growth Habit and Classification
Growth Habit:
  • Determinate: Bushy, self-topping, early maturity, staking not required.
  • Indeterminate: Erect, continuous growth, late maturity, staking required.
Botanical Classification (Bailey, 1949):
  • L. esculentum var. commune – Common round fruited
  • L. esculentum var. grandifolium – Potato-leaved
  • L. esculentum var. cerasiformae – Cherry tomato
  • L. esculentum var. validum – Upright tomato
  • L. esculentum var. pyriformae – Pear-shaped tomato
Nutritional Value and Uses
  • Rich in vitamins (A, B, C), minerals (iron, phosphorus, calcium), amino acids, sugars, and dietary fiber.
  • Ascorbic acid: 16–65 mg/100g; total sugars: ~2.5% in ripe fruit.
  • Used fresh, in salads, pickles, preserves, and processed products (puree, paste, ketchup, sauce, juice).
  • Contains lycopene (red pigment), carotenoids (yellow), and tomatine (alkaloid).
Area, Production, and Export
  • India: ~8.8 lakh ha, 182 lakh tonnes, productivity ~20.7 t/ha.
  • Leading states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat.
  • Major export areas: Pune, Bangalore, Nasik, Amaravati.
  • Main importers: Pakistan, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman.
Varieties and Hybrids
Selection Criteria:
  • High yield, disease resistance, fruit quality, shelf life, and TSS.
Popular Varieties:
  • Pusa Ruby, Arka Vikas, Arka Meghali, Arka Saurabh, Arka Abha, Pusa Early Dwarf, PKM-1, Hisar Anmol, Pant Bahar.
Hybrids:
  • Arka Rakshak, Arka Samrat, Arka Shreshta, Pusa Divya, Rashmi, Rupali, IAHS-88.2.
Special Traits:
  • Resistant to ToLCV: Nandi, Sankranti, Vaibhav, Arka Rakshak.
  • Resistant to bacterial wilt: Arka Alok, Arka Abha, Arka Shreshta.
Climate and Soil Requirements
  • Warm season crop; optimum temperature: 20–24°C.
  • Fruit set best at 15–20°C; lycopene synthesis optimal at 21–24°C.
  • Grows in all soils; sandy loam preferred for early crop, heavy soils for high yield.
  • Soil pH: 6.0–7.0; moderately tolerant to acidic soils (pH 5.5).
Sowing, Nursery, and Transplanting
  • Seed rate: OPV 300–400 g/ha; Hybrids 125–175 g/ha.
  • Seed treatment: Captan/Thiram @ 2 g/kg seed.
  • Nursery: Raised beds, protected with shade net, use sterilized cocopeat in protrays.
  • Seedlings ready in 25–30 days; hardened before transplanting.
  • Transplanting at 4–5 weeks; spacing: 60 × 45 cm.
Land Preparation and Mulching
  • Apply FYM @ 25 t/ha and neem cake @ 100 kg/ha before last ploughing.
  • Raised beds (120 cm width) for better drainage.
  • Mulching (plastic or organic) conserves moisture, controls weeds, and regulates soil temperature.
  • Plastic mulch (25 micron) can increase yield by 45–50%.
Irrigation and Fertilization
  • Total water requirement: 600–700 mm/ha.
  • Drip irrigation is efficient, saves water (up to 42%), and increases yield (up to 60%).
  • Frequent irrigation essential, especially during flowering and fruiting.
  • Balanced fertilization with NPK and micronutrients is crucial.
Cultural Practices
  • Weeding: Two hand hoeings and earthing up recommended.
  • Pre-emergence herbicides: Metribuzin (0.35 kg/ha), Pendimethalin (1.0 kg/ha).
  • Staking and training improve fruit quality and reduce disease incidence (especially for indeterminate types).
  • Pruning and desuckering maintain balance between vegetative growth and fruiting.
Growth Regulators
  • Ethephon (200–500 mg/L): Flower induction, rooting.
  • 2,4-D (2–5 mg/L): Increases fruit set, induces parthenocarpy.
  • GA3 (50–100 mg/L): Promotes shoot elongation and yield.
  • PCPA (50 mg/L): Enhances fruit set under adverse conditions.
Harvesting and Post-Harvest Management
  • First harvest: 60–85 days after transplanting, depending on variety.
  • Harvest stages: Immature green, mature green, breaker, pink, hard ripe, overripe.
  • Grading based on color, size, and maturity; BIS grades: Super A, Super, Fancy, Commercial.
  • Storage: 12–15°C, 85–90% RH; mature green fruits can be stored up to 30 days.
Yield
  • Open field: 50 t/ha; Greenhouse: up to 150 t/ha (Singh et al., 2013).
  • Yield depends on variety, management, and environmental conditions.
Physiological Disorders
Blossom End Rot
  • Brown, sunken lesions at blossom end; due to calcium deficiency and irregular watering.
Fruit Cracking
  • Radial/concentric cracks; caused by irregular irrigation, boron deficiency, genetic factors.
Sun Scald
  • Blistered, water-soaked areas on exposed fruits; aggravated by defoliation and pruning.
Puffiness
  • Partially filled, light fruits; due to poor fertilization, high temperature, or moisture.
Cat Face
  • Distorted blossom end with ridges and furrows; linked to low temperature during flowering.
Management of Physiological Disorders
  • Regular irrigation and balanced fertilization (especially calcium and boron).
  • Avoid excessive pruning and staking during hot periods.
  • Grow resistant/tolerant varieties for specific disorders.
  • Apply foliar sprays: CaCl2 (0.5%), borax (0.3–0.4%) as needed.
Major Pests of Tomato
Aphids, Thrips, Whitefly, Leaf Miner, Pinworm, Fruit Borer
  • Use yellow sticky traps, pheromone traps, and biological control (Chrysoperla, Trichogramma).
  • Spray recommended insecticides (e.g., dimethoate, malathion, neem formulations) as per guidelines.
  • Practice crop rotation and destruction of infested plant parts.
Major Diseases of Tomato
Damping Off (Pythium spp.)
  • Use raised beds, seed treatment with Trichoderma/Thiram, drench with copper oxychloride.
Early Blight (Alternaria solani)
  • Remove debris, crop rotation, spray Mancozeb 0.2%.
Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)
  • Remove affected plants, crop rotation, drench with copper oxychloride/Bordeaux mixture.
Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici)
  • Remove affected plants, spot drench with carbendazim, rotate with non-host crops.
Bacterial Wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum)
  • Use resistant varieties, crop rotation with non-hosts.
Mosaic (TMV), Leaf Curl (ToLCV)
  • Use disease-free seed, vector control (imidacloprid, dimethoate), crop rotation.
Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM)
  • Use resistant varieties and healthy seedlings.
  • Practice crop rotation and field sanitation.
  • Monitor pests/diseases regularly; use traps and biocontrol agents.
  • Apply chemicals judiciously, following recommended doses and intervals.
Summary
  • Tomato is a high-value crop with diverse uses and nutritional benefits.
  • Proper variety selection, climate, soil, and cultural practices are key for high yield.
  • Integrated management of pests, diseases, and physiological disorders ensures quality production.
  • Knowledge of post-harvest handling and storage extends shelf life and marketability.

Objective Questions

Q1. Which scientist is known as the "Father of Tomato"?
A. Dr. C. M. Rick
B. Jenkins
C. Linnaeus
D. Bailey
Answer: A

Q2. The red color in tomato fruits is primarily due to which pigment?
A. Carotenoid
B. Lycopene
C. Pro-lycopene
D. Chlorophyll
Answer: B

Q3. Which variety of tomato is resistant to bacterial wilt?
A. Arka Meghali
B. Arka Abha
C. Pusa Ruby
D. Nandi
Answer: B

Q4. What is the optimum temperature range for lycopene synthesis in tomato?
A. 10-15°C
B. 21-24°C
C. 27-30°C
D. 30-35°C
Answer: B

Q5. Which growth regulator is used to increase fruit set, earliness, and parthenocarpy in tomato?
A. IBA
B. 2,4-D
C. NAA
D. GA
Answer: B

Q6. Which physiological disorder in tomato is controlled by foliar spray of 0.5% calcium chloride?
A. Fruit cracking
B. Sun scald
C. Blossom end rot
D. Puffiness
Answer: C

Q7. Which of the following is a determinate tomato variety?
A. Pusa Divya
B. Arka Abha
C. NDT-1
D. Pusa Ruby
Answer: B

Q8. Which pest is managed by releasing Trichogramma @ 1 lakh/ha in tomato?
A. Whitefly
B. Fruit borer
C. Thrips
D. Pinworm
Answer: B

Q9. For protected cultivation, which type of tomato varieties are most suitable?
A. Determinate
B. Semi-determinate
C. Indeterminate
D. Dwarf
Answer: C

Q10. Which disease is controlled by drenching with Copper oxychloride 0.2% or Bordeaux mixture 1%?
A. Fusarium wilt
B. Early blight
C. Damping off
D. Mosaic
Answer: C