It is the worlds largest vegetable crop after and sweet potato. It is the one of the most important protective foods. It is cultivated in 26,768 hectares with anestimated annual production of 2.54 lakh tonnes in Andhrapradesh.

CLIMATE

It is mostly grown as winter vegetable, it cannot tolerate high temperatures and heavy rainfall conditions. In summer it is also grown around Madanapally, Palamaneru areas of Chittor district and in Arakuvally areas of Vishakapatnam district.

SOILS

It is successfully grown as winter in almost all types of soils ranging from sandy loams to heavy clay soils and also during the onset of monsoon in kharif in light soils of Telengana as rainfed crop.

Varieties

PUSA RUBY

Suitable for cultivation in our State. Determinate and erect in nature. It comes to fruiting in about 60-65 days after transplanting. Fruits are mediumsized, uniform red ,oblate with deeper furrows than Pusa Early Dwarf. Crop duration about 130-135, with 30tons/ha yield.

PUSA EARLY DWARF

Suitable for cultivation in our State. Earlier than Ruby, comes to harvest in 60 days after planting. It is dwarf but branches freely, fruits are medium in size with slight furrows, uniform red smooth and slightly larger fruits than Pusa Ruby and withstands better to rains. Crop duration is 125-130 days. Yield about 30 tons/ha.

PUSA SELECTION - 4

Released from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Tall and moderately sturdy plants.Fruits medium in size and round, attractive red color. Crop duration is about 140-150 days, yield 35-40 tons/ha.

PKM-1

Released from Tamil Nadu. Plant small in size; more number of plants can be tranplanted per acre.Suitable for cultivation in all seasons. Duration 135 days, yields 32 tons/ha.

ARKA SAURABH

The plants are semi-determinate in growth habit, bearing firm fleshy fruits of deep red color, each weighing on an average 70g. It is a dual purpose variety suited both for fresh market and processing into juice and ketchup. It is resistant to fruit cracking and produce 35 tons/ha in 105/110 days after transplanting.

ARKA VIKAS

This variety was developed from an American variety Tiptop. The plants are semi-determinate bearing oblate fruits weighing 80-85g. Fruits are attractive, red, ripening uniformly. Suitable for fresh market. It produced 35-40 tons/ha of fruits in 105-110 days after transplanting.

MAARUTAM

This variety released from Tamilnadu Agricultural University, coimbatore. Plant small in size, sturdy, heavy branching with dency leaves. Suitable for all seasons. Specially recommended for summer. Fruits round medium in size. Duration 135-140 days. Yield 32-35 tons/ha.

Co - 1

Released by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Determinate, freely branching habit. Fruits are medium to large, oblate to round, with slight furrows. Comes to harvest in about 65 days with a total duration of 32-35 tons/ha.

Preparatory Cultivation

Plough the land 4-5 times to attain a good tilth, incorporate the Farmyard manure in the last ploughing. If the crop is to be raised in kharif, prepare ridges and furrows at 60 cm spacing for convenient irrigation channel. For winter and summer crop, prepare the field into convenient beds of 4 x 5 m size.

Seeds and Sowing

Seed rate 500g/ha or a nursery of 25-30 beds of the size of 1x4 m would be adequate to transplant one hectare. Summer crop requires 1kg of seed/ha.

Before preparing nursery beds, well decomposed farmyard manure may be applied to soil. These beds may be sprinkled with Bordeaux mixture 0.5% or Dithane Z-78 or Dithane M-45 2-3 g/lit as a prophylactic measure against damping off. Seed beds should be raised 6'' above the ground level.

The seedlings with 3-4 leaves which are approximately 25-30 days old should be transplanted at 60x60 cm spacing. In summer, spacing distance changes as 45x30 or 30x30 cm based on variety soil fertility.

Treat the seed, before sowing with Thiram 2-3g per one kg of seed.

Manures and Fertilizers

Application of farm yard manure to an extent of 20-25 tons/ha is desirable in the final ploughing. A basal dose of 60kg/ha each. Of P2O5 and K2O have to be applied and 100kg of Nitrogen is to be applied in three split doses, 30th, 45th and 60th day after transplantation.

Intercultivation

Weeding, hoeing and earthing up is to be done along with fertilization. Nipping of terminal shoots will improve the branching and fruit set. Stalking is prepared for the development of good size quality fruits. Apply 15 or 20mg. Parachlorophenoxy acetic acid or 2 mg . 2, 4-D per lit of water at flowering and fruit setting to avoid flower & Fruit drop to get better yield.

Irrigation

Irrigate the field at 7 to 10 days interval depending upon the soil moisture. In summer irrigate every 5-6 days.

Harvesting

Harvesting of fruits commences in about 85 to 90 days after transplantation and continues for about 45 to 60 days. Yields 30 to 40 tons/ha.

Name of the Pests/Diseases	Symptoms of damage	Control measures
PESTS Fruit Borers (Kaya Toluchu Purugu) Spodoptera litura Heliothis armigera Utetheisa pulchella	This is a serious pest on tomato. caterpillar crawls over the leaves and branches of the plant and also forms holes and burrows in the fruits and destory them.	Spray Carbaryl 50% w.p. 0.1% @2g per lit of water or Quinalphos (0.05%) 25% EC @ 2 ml/lit of water
Epilachna beetle (Akshintala Purugu) Epilachna Vigintioctopunctata	Both grubs and adults feed on the leaves. The feeding is irregular and gibes a characteristic lace-like appearance to the leaves.	Spray Carbaryl 50% w.p.0.1% @ 2g per lit or water or Endosulfan (0.05%) 35% EC1.5ml per lit of water.
Jassids (Pach Doma) Sundapteryx Biguttula biguttula Monocrotophos	The nymphs and adults stay underneath the leaves and suck the sap, resulting the wilting up of the leaves.	Spray Dimethoate(0.06%) 30% EC @ 2ml per lit of water mixed with Metasystox 25% EC or Monocrotophos @ 1.5ml per lit of water.
DISEASES Damping off (Narukullu tegulu) Pythium spp	The seedings are mostly attacked in the nursery bed at the ground level and as a result they topple.	Treat the seed before sowing with Thiram 2-3 g/kg seed.
WILT Fusarium oxysporum fsp Lycopersici (Vadalipovu Tegulu)	The lower leaves become yellow and the petioles droop. The affected plants wilt and die.	Use of seeds from healthy plants. Crop rotation and using resistant Varieties.
Early bligh (Akumadu Tegulu) Alternaria solani	Brown spots with concentric rings appear on leaves, stems as well as on fruits. In severe cases the fruits drop off and the whole Plant dries up	Brown spots with concentric rings appear on leaves, stems as well as on fruits. In severe cases the fruits drop off and the whole Plant dries up
Mosaic Virus (Verrikullu Tegulu)	Interveinal mottling and Yellowing of the leaves with scattered patches on green areas. The leaf surface appears to be crinkled and britte.	Diseased plants should be removed as and when noticed. Spray insecticides to control the insect vectors.
Tomoto spotted wilt virus (Tomato Machalu Madu Virus)	Bronze color markings on the upper side or young leaflets accompanied by downward curling of leaves	Diseased plants should be removed as and when noticed Spray insecticides to control The insect vectors.