The tomato (Lycopersicum Tourn.) is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. It is an annual (under favorable conditions, perennial) herbaceous plant with an aggressive root system penetrating the soil to a depth of 1.5-2.5 m.
Tomato is a very heat-loving crop. In most tomato varieties, seed sprouting begins at a temperature of 10-15°C, but the optimum germination temperature is 22-25°C. When the temperature drops down to 13-15°C, the buds fail to open and ovaries fall off, the plant growth being arrested at 10°C. Temperatures of 1-2°C below zero are injurious for most tomato varieties, whereas light frosts (0.5-0.8°C below zero) only damage flowers and fruit.
Tomato is resistant to air drought. This is due to its extensive and well-developed root system. For tomato plants to grow and develop normally, the humidity should be 70-80% of field moister capacity.
Compared to other vegetable crops, tomato is less sensitive to soil status (soil fertility). The highest yields are obtained when tomato is grown on light, structured, readily warmed up and humus-rich soils.
Tomato, as a light-demanding crop, grows well under conditions of long exposure to intense sunlight. In low light conditions, the plants take up atmospheric carbon dioxide slowly and plant growth and development is retarded. Tomato sprouts and seedlings/transplants are particularly light demanding.
Growing
tips
The best preceding crops are winter cereals, annual legumes, cucumber, onion and early cabbage varieties.
The optimum sowing time for direct seeded tomato is when the soil at a depth 5-6 cm has warmed up to 10-12°C and its moisture content permits successful sowing. When grown by transplanting, tomato seedlings are planted out when there is no longer risk of spring frosts.
The plant density varies between 2 and 7 plants per 1m2 (20,000-70,000 pl/ha) depending on plant vigor and growing conditions. The seeding rate is 0.2-0.3 g per 10 m2 (0.2-0.3 kg/ha) of open ground with transplanting, and 1-1.2 g per 10 m2 (1-1.2 kg/ha) with direct sowing.
To obtain a tomato yield of 10-12 kg/m2, organic fertilizers should be applied at a rate of 40-50 kg per 10 m2 (40-50 ton/ha) and mineral fertilizers at a rate of 440 g ammonium nitrate, 300-550 g superphosphate and 350-500 g potassium salt per 10 m2 (N 150, P2O5 75-100 and K2O 150-200 kg of active substance per hectare). It is advisable to apply the bulk of the phosphorous and potash fertilizers with autumn plowing and the nitrogenous ones as supplementary fertilizing during the growing season.
A characteristic feature of tomato is its very poor ability to take up phosphorus in early stages of growth. This is particularly the case at subnormal temperatures (lower than 12-13°C). Therefore, the presowing application of phosphorous fertilizers should be an obligatory agricultural practice in tomato cultivation.
During the growing season, the tomato plants are given 5 to 10 irrigations with the water application rate of 350-400 l per 10 m2 (350-400 m3/ha).
Major pests: Colorado potato beetle and cotton-ball cutworm.
Control measures: insecticide sprays at the time of mass flight of beetles and egg laying. Using Mospilan, Regent and Bancol proved to be effective in controlling the potato beetle. To control the cotton-ball cutworm during its mass flight and egg laying, sprays with Zolone, Volaton, Basudin or other insecticides are made. At high temperatures (above 28-30°C), preference should be given to organophosphorous insecticides since the use of insecticides of the synthetic pyrethroid series at high temperatures dramatically reduces the efficiency of insecticide sprays.
The most important tomato diseases: Late blight, Macrosporiosis and Bacterial black spot of tomato.
Control measures: sprays every 10-12 days with fungicides such as Cuproxat, copper oxychloride, Acrobat MC, Ridomil MC, Curzate R, Tattoo (with growth-promoting action) and others. To prevent the causative agents from developing resistance to fungicides, the chemicals used for sprays should be alternated.