Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most essential vegetables worldwide. It is a warm season crop which requires warms climate. Tomatoes are known to have originated from the Western South America, and its domestication is said to have taken place in Central America. Tomatoes are also recognized for their short duration and high yields, hence they are economically attractive and this has cause massive increase in area of tomato productions worldwide. Biologically, Tomato belongs to the Family Solanaceae and is closely related to many commercially plants such as potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tobaccos. Suitable varieties of tomatoes include Pectomech VF, Rio Grande,Lindo,Titao Derma, and many more.
Tomatoes are very important to the human health: it is rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, sugars and dietary fibers required for a healthy development of the body. Tomatoes can be consumed fresh in salads or cooked in stew, soup and meat or fish dishes. It can also be processed into juices,purees, ketup,and juices. Due to tomato's importance as food, it has been engineered genetically to improve its productivity, quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Examples of improved varieties include Co-1,Punjab Chhuhara,PKM 1,Pusa Ruby, etc. Tomatoes are sometimes employed in research making.
Biological Classification of Tomato
Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
Superdivision Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Subclass Asteridae
Order Solanales
Family Solanaceae (Potato family)
Genus Solanum L. (nightshade)
Species Solanum lycopersicum L. ( garden tomato)
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (Natural Resources Conservation Service)
HOW TO START TOMATO FARMING
Climatic and Soil Requirements: Tomatoes need warm days,cool nights, and bright sunshines for optimum high yields. Extremely high and low temperature as well as humidity can cause reductions in yields. A fertile and well drained soil is also recommended, preferably a well drained sandy loams. The pH(acidic nature) of the soil should be between 5.5 - 6.8. The soil should have an adequate water holding capacity, aeration, and also should be free from salts. Extreme amount of organic contents can evoke problems for the tomato.
Land Preparation: A well prepared land is very essential in enhancing early establishment of the crop and weed control. Adequate manure should be incorporated into the soil. Prepare beds across the contours on which the seedlings of the tomatoes may be transplanted. It is also advisable to make a farm pond to collect excessive water, and can also be used later for irrigation purposes.
source: www.tomatojos.net
Propagation: The tomatoes can be sown on seed beds. Prepare seed beds at a width of 1.2m and any choice of length, and then level the beds. Afterwards, watering and covering the beds with dry grass for 2-4 weeks is very necessary. Seeds must then be sowed 10cm apart. Again, cover the beds with dried grasses or fronds- they should be taken off once the seedlings emerge out of the soil. It is advisable to take out weak and poorly formed seedlings to prevent overcrowding. Seedlings should be transplanted 3-4 weeks after their emergence. Remember: It is very important to irrigate plants regularly, especially during the dry seasons.
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Planting: Preferably, do the planting late in the afternoon
Control of weed: Weed control is very vital for the healthy growth of tomato crop. This can be done by regularly hoeing. Also applying weedicides 3-4 days before transplanting surely helps.
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Harvesting: The tomato fruits are harvested at a mature green or full-ripe-but-firm stage- it depends on the market demand and distance. The usual market requirements are a firm and blemish free tomatoes.
Operational budget is shown below- if you prefer to go large-scale
source: mofa.gov.gh
Economic importance
- Tomato seeds contain gel which help prevent the blood from becoming sticky and clotting and so is being promoted as natural alternative to aspirin.
adverse effects of smoking can be reduced by the in-take of tomato seeds. Smoking leads to blood clots and sticky blood cells which can be cured by regularly consuming tomato seeds - Tomato seed intake aids in the maintenance of the cholesterol level in the body through the regulation of the blood pressure and maintenance of smooth blood circulation.
- Tomato seeds are also rich sources of nutrients and minerals such as vitamin A, B,C and K, as well as Calcium and Anti-oxidant. These aid in the reduction of inflammation in the blood stream. Also the body requires these nutrients to perform its daily activities.
- Lycopene, an anti-oxidant that contributes to the protection against carcinogenic substances, is found in Tomatoes and helps prevent various diseases such as heart diseases, cancer of the prostate, lungs and many more. Lycopene is also used for treating Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) infection, which is a major cause of uterine cancer..
REFERENCES
Kimura, S. and Sinha, N. 2008a. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum): A model fruit-bearing crop. Cold Spring Harb. Protoc. (this issue). doi: 10.1101/pdb.emo105.
Tomato production, Ministry of Food and Agriculture(Republic of Ghana), http://mofa.gov.gh/site/?page_id=14176.
Kimura, S. and Sinha, N. 2008d. Grafting tomato plants. Cold Spring Harb. Protoc. (this issue). doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot5083
Adenuga , A.H, A. Muhammad-Lawal and O.A. Rotimi., 2013, economics and technical efficiency of dry season tomato production in selected areas in kwara state, nigeria. Agris on-line papers in economics and informatics, 2013, vol. 5, issue 1.
Adeoye I.B., O.M.O. Odeleye,S.O Babalola and S.O. Afolayan,2009. Economic analysis of tomato losses in ibadan metropolis, oyo state, nigeria. African journal of basic & applied sciences 1 (5-6): 87-92
Agbabiaje, J.O. J.G. Bodunde., 2012, socio-economic analysis of wet and dry season production of tomato ( lycopersicon esculentum mill ): implications for input use. Nigerian journal of horticultural science. Issn: 1118-2733
I certainly hope this post was very helpful for you as a guide to the tomato farming business. Feel free to share your thought below.
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