TOMATO PRODUCTION
A Simplified Guide
By Dahlia Shumba 0775589553
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Tomato Production
Classification Family Solanaceae
Genus Lycopersicon
Species Esculentum
Soils Medium textured to heavy clay loams
Soil requirements pH 5.5-6.5
Climatic Temperature 18-22ᵒC (not below 12ᵒC, not above 36ᵒC)
requirements Time of planting All year-round frost-free period
Seed requirement Seeds/ha 100-150g
Spacing Interrow 150-200cm
Inrow 30-50cm
Minimum 10k
Plant population Maximum 25k
Varieties Determinates Chibli, Rodade, Rodade plus, Tejas, Star 9003, Star 9008, Star 9006,
Star 9062, Star 9011, HTX14, Pietrarossa, Floradade, Daisy, Rio
grande, Heinz, Nash
Semi-Determinates Star 9009, Tengeru, Sagatan, Zandra
Indeterminates Trinity, Newton, Thomas, Royale plus, Star 9030, Star 9037, Star
9065, Oasis, Candela, Tovistar, Simona
Fertilisation
Application Fertiliser Rate/1k plants Remarks
Basal Manure 3tonnes All at planting
Compound C 100kg
Gypsum 16kg
Lime Depends on soil test results
Fertility trench preparation
✓ Fertility trenches will allow a longer growing period due to easy
root growth in loosened nutrient rich soil layer
• Make trenches 40-50cm deep and 30-40cm wide
• Divide your trench into 3 layers
• In each layer apply recommended proportions of manure and
fertilisers as recommended by soil test results, then mix thoroughly
with the soil to ensure good distribution
Top dressing Ammonium nitrate 5kg Apply according to growth stage and
Potassium nitrate 16kg nutritional demand
Complimentary Humuson complex (Basal) 200ml Applied during establishment
feeding Humuson top 200ml Applied during establishment
Kynoch starter 200g Applied during vegetative stage
Kynoch grow 200g Applied during flowering stage
Kynoch fruit 600g Applied during fruiting stage
Zalexin 600ml Applied during flowering/fruiting
Wuxal calcibor 300ml Applied during fruiting stage
Wuxal macromix 300ml Applied during fruiting stage
Refer to the program for rate and time of application
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Herbicides
Pre-emergence Metolachlor
Post-emergence Propaquizafop, Fluazifop-p-Butyl
Insects
Nematodes Stink bug Aphids
Oxamyl, Fenamiphos, Velum Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Malathion,
Acetamiprid, Malathion, Dichlorvos Dichlorvos, Dimethoate
Deltamethrin
Whitefly American leafminer Redspider
Thiamethoxam, Methomyl, Acetamiprid, Abamectin,
Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Cyromazine, Novaluron, indoxacarb, Amitraz, Dicofol, Abamectin,
Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate Diazinon, Profenofos, Chlorfenapyr,
Dichlorvos, Chess Emamectin benzoate, Dimethoate
Tuta Pinworm Semi-looper
B. thrungiensis, Acephate, Cartap hydrochloride, Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate, Lufenuron, Indoxacarb,
Fipronil, Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole, Mercaptothion, Abamectin, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Methomyl,
Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos
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African bollworm Thrips Cutworms
Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate, Abamectin, Imidacloprid, Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin,
Lufenuron, Indoxacarb, Acetamiprid, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Carbaryl, Deltamethrin
Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole Deltamethrin
✓ Insect control can be achieved when insects have reached threshold level, thus under thorough scouting and
proper identification
✓ If scouting is compromised or conditions favour rapid reproduction of insects, prophylactic spray can be done
✓ Prophylactic regimes should be determined by insect pressure which normally synchronise with hot and dry
conditions
✓ Chemicals from different chemical groups should be used to avoid insecticide resistance build-up
✓ Sample of spraying regime indicated below
Diseases
Damping off Downey mildew Late blight
Captan, Copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Mancozeb, Thiram, Metalaxyl Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil Chlorothalonil, Propineb, Chemlaxyl,
Cymoxanil
Early blight Powdery mildew Fusarium wilt
Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Tebuconazole, Triadimenol, Drench Benomyl, Copper based
Tebuconazole, Chlorothalonil, Benomyl, Sulphur fungicides. But the best way to control
Difenoconazole, Trifloxystrobin, the disease is crop rotation
Azoxystrobin
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Bacterial complex
✓ Fungicides are not effective in controlling bacterial diseases
✓ Always plant certified seed resistant to diseases
✓ Application of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl will activate the plant against bacterial diseases
**Always read the labels on chemicals for rates and post-harvest intervals
**Chemicals listed in active ingredients, trade names may differ
**Chemical colour codes do not illustrate the effectiveness in pest control, but the toxicity to the operator
Physiological Disorders
Blossom end rot Macro fruit cracking Cat’s face
✓ Caused by Calcium deficiency ✓ Caused by irregular water supply ✓ Caused by sudden change in
✓ Calcium supplement will help ✓ Regular watering and calcium temperature during flowering
together with regular watering supplement will help especially from summer to winter
to increase calcium absorption
from the soil
Sunscald Leaf roll Failure to set fruits
✓ Caused by exposure of fruits to ✓ Caused by copper deficiency but ✓ Caused by lack of pollination, too
direct sunlight. Normally most commonly by much or little nitrogen, moisture
common when pruning has environmental stress, thus very stress, extreme temperatures and
been done lately and fruits have low or high temperatures. This humidity, heavy fruit set and
suddenly been exposed to however has no significant effect application of MOP at fruit set
sunlight on growth and yield stage
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Fruit hollowness Blotch ripening Chimera
✓ Caused by excessive ✓ Caused by extreme temperatures, ✓ Caused by spontaneous mutation
fertilisation with nitrogen, low very high nitrogen, low potassium
potassium levels and poor
absorption of calcium and
boron, poor pruning
management, and high relative
humidity
Tomato Program
Planting date Variety
Plant pop Area Spacing
Week after Age Date Herbicides/ 16l Fertilisers/plant Insecticide/ 16l Fungicides/ 16l Foliar sprays/16l
emergence knapsack knapsack knapsack knapsack
Planting Metolachlor Compound C 100g Decis 5ml Copper 80g Humuson basal 160ml
120ml Rotten manure 3kg
1 7 Abamectin 16ml Bravo 32ml Humuson top 80ml
2 14 AN(NH₄NO₃) 5g Lufenuron 16ml Bion 5ml Kynoch starter 160g
3 21 Steward 16ml Ridomyl 50g Zalexin 80ml
4 28 Fluazifop 120ml PN(KNO₃) 4g Demise 16ml Aegis 16ml Kynoch grow 160g
5 35 Savage 8ml Range 100g Calcibor 80ml
6 42 PN(KNO₃) 4g Abamectin 16ml Copper 80g Kynoch fruit 160g
7 49 Lufenuron 16ml Bravo 32ml Zalexin 80ml
8 56 PN(KNO₃) 4g Steward 16ml Bion 5ml Calcibor 80ml
9 63 Demise 16ml Ridomyl 50g Macromix 80ml
10 70 PN(KNO₃) 4g Savage 8ml Aegis 16ml Calcibor 80ml
11 77 Abamectin 16ml Range 100g Macromix 80ml
12 84 Lufenuron 16ml Copper 80g Calcibor 80ml
13 91 Steward 16ml Mancozeb 50g Macromix 80ml
14 98 Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml Calcibor 80ml
15 105 Savage 8ml Copper 80g Macromix 80ml
16 112 Abamectin 16ml Mancozeb 50g
17 119 Lufenuron 16ml Bravo 32ml
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