How to Grow Tomatoes in a Greenhouse polyhouse protected production practices, tomato farming techniques, growing greenhouse tomatoes, spacing nursery, fertigation, pruning training, harvesting, yield, procedure PDF free download
Greenhouse Cultivation of Tomato
Tomato is the most popular vegetable crop grown under greenhouses throughout the world. It is consumed either salad, coked or as processed food. In India tomato is grown in 4.7 lakh hectares with an average yield of 18.0 t/ha. This yield level can be enhanced to a substantial level with the adoption of hybrids and improved production practices.
Climate
Day temperature of 28oC and night temperature of 18oC is ideal for its growth. Fruit set is affected at temperature higher than 35oC and a relative humidity of more than 90 percent.
Day temperature of 28oC and night temperature of 18oC is ideal for its growth. Fruit set is affected at temperature higher than 35oC and a relative humidity of more than 90 percent.
Hybrids
Tomato hybrids with indeterminate growth habit are best suited for greenhouse cultivation, as the hybrids grow to a height of 15 feet and above which utilizes greenhouse space, both horizontal and vertical. Commercial hybrids like SH 7711 are suitable for greenhouse cultivation, with a yield potential up to 180 t/ha from a crop of six months duration.
Tomato hybrids with indeterminate growth habit are best suited for greenhouse cultivation, as the hybrids grow to a height of 15 feet and above which utilizes greenhouse space, both horizontal and vertical. Commercial hybrids like SH 7711 are suitable for greenhouse cultivation, with a yield potential up to 180 t/ha from a crop of six months duration.
Tomato Varieties and hybrids
Naveen
IAHS 88 1
Naveen
IAHS 88 1
Barbara
Kada Hybrid
Presto
Wilset F1
Presto
Wilset F1
Nursery
Vermicompost + sand (1:1) or composted, sterilized cocopeat as growing media can be used for nursery production.
Pro-trays (98 cells) are filled with the growing media. Pro-trays are drenched with 0.3% copper oxychloride solution (3 g/litre).
Seeds treated with the Thiram (0.3g / 100g seed) are sown one per cell, to a depth of 0.5 cm.
Cover the seeds with thin layer of growing medium, water lightly if commercial cocopeat is not used and cover the tray with newspaper.
If commercially available cocopeat is used, the trays are stacked one over the other for 4-5 days, without irrigating.
Seeds germinate in 4-6 days and the seedlings will be ready for planting by 25 days after sowing.
If cocopeat is used for seedling raising, drench the portrays with 0.3 percent (3 g/litre) 19-19-19 complex fertilizer 2 to 3 times after emergence.
About 5 g seed is required to plant an area of 500 m2 greenhouse areas.
Pro-trays (98 cells) are filled with the growing media. Pro-trays are drenched with 0.3% copper oxychloride solution (3 g/litre).
Seeds treated with the Thiram (0.3g / 100g seed) are sown one per cell, to a depth of 0.5 cm.
Cover the seeds with thin layer of growing medium, water lightly if commercial cocopeat is not used and cover the tray with newspaper.
If commercially available cocopeat is used, the trays are stacked one over the other for 4-5 days, without irrigating.
Seeds germinate in 4-6 days and the seedlings will be ready for planting by 25 days after sowing.
If cocopeat is used for seedling raising, drench the portrays with 0.3 percent (3 g/litre) 19-19-19 complex fertilizer 2 to 3 times after emergence.
About 5 g seed is required to plant an area of 500 m2 greenhouse areas.
Growing medium
Sandy loam soil and well-decomposed farmyard manure mixed in 1:1 proportions is best suited for tomato cultivation. In heavier soils mixing with sand up to 25 percent is required to provide proper aeration in the root zone.
Sandy loam soil and well-decomposed farmyard manure mixed in 1:1 proportions is best suited for tomato cultivation. In heavier soils mixing with sand up to 25 percent is required to provide proper aeration in the root zone.
Growing beds
Soil has to be brought to fine tilth. Beds of 100 cm width and 15 cm height leaving 50 cm between the two beds. Apply FYM @ 20 kg per square meter of bed area for the first crop and for subsequent crops, FYM@ 5 kg/square meter has to be applied.
Soil has to be brought to fine tilth. Beds of 100 cm width and 15 cm height leaving 50 cm between the two beds. Apply FYM @ 20 kg per square meter of bed area for the first crop and for subsequent crops, FYM@ 5 kg/square meter has to be applied.
Sterilization
For disinfecting the growing beds, 4% formaldehyde (@4 litre / m2) will be applied and covered with black polyethylene (400 gauges) sheet. All ventilation spaces need to be closed after the application of formaldehyde. While treating with formaldehyde, care should be taken to wear mask, gloves and apron to avoid direct contact with the formaldehyde fumes. Three to four days after formaldehyde treatment, polyethylene cover has to be removed. Two days after removing the polyethylene cover, the beds are raked repeatedly to remove trapped formaldehyde fumes completely before transplanting. Disinfections are done once a year.
For disinfecting the growing beds, 4% formaldehyde (@4 litre / m2) will be applied and covered with black polyethylene (400 gauges) sheet. All ventilation spaces need to be closed after the application of formaldehyde. While treating with formaldehyde, care should be taken to wear mask, gloves and apron to avoid direct contact with the formaldehyde fumes. Three to four days after formaldehyde treatment, polyethylene cover has to be removed. Two days after removing the polyethylene cover, the beds are raked repeatedly to remove trapped formaldehyde fumes completely before transplanting. Disinfections are done once a year.
Fertilizer application to the growing beds
N, P2O5 and K2O is applied @ 50: 50: 50 kg/ha, to the growing beds before formaldehyde fumigation. Neem cake and Trichoderma formulation (100:1) (200 kg /ha + 2 kg /ha) has to be applied just before planting but soon after formaldehyde fumes are exhausted completely. Neem cake + Trichoderma application has to be repeated 3 times at a monthly intervals.
N, P2O5 and K2O is applied @ 50: 50: 50 kg/ha, to the growing beds before formaldehyde fumigation. Neem cake and Trichoderma formulation (100:1) (200 kg /ha + 2 kg /ha) has to be applied just before planting but soon after formaldehyde fumes are exhausted completely. Neem cake + Trichoderma application has to be repeated 3 times at a monthly intervals.
Laying of drip line
At the center of the bed, one inline dripper lateral has to be placed. Inline dripper lateral should have an emitting point for every 30 cm interval with a discharge of 2 litre per hour. Before covering with the polyethylene mulch, emitting point has to be checked for uniform discharge of water.
At the center of the bed, one inline dripper lateral has to be placed. Inline dripper lateral should have an emitting point for every 30 cm interval with a discharge of 2 litre per hour. Before covering with the polyethylene mulch, emitting point has to be checked for uniform discharge of water.
Mulching
100-micron thickness black polyethylene mulch film of 1.2 m width can be used to cover the planting bed. Holes of 5 cm size are made on the mulch film as per the recommended spacing (60 cm x 45 cm). Then cover the planting beds with mulch by securing the edges of the sheet with pegs or burying in the soil.
100-micron thickness black polyethylene mulch film of 1.2 m width can be used to cover the planting bed. Holes of 5 cm size are made on the mulch film as per the recommended spacing (60 cm x 45 cm). Then cover the planting beds with mulch by securing the edges of the sheet with pegs or burying in the soil.
Planting
Beds have to be watered to field capacity before transplanting. Seedlings of 25 days old, vigorous and uniform size are selected for planting. Portrays with seedlings are drenched with Bavistin (0.1%) and super phosphate slurry (1.5%) in early morning hours or previous day evening. Better to transplant in early morning hours or preferably in the evenings on a hour day. Seedlings from the protrays are removed by giving slight pressure from the bottom of the individual cells. Transplant the seedlings at recommended spacing at a shallow depth of 2 2.5 cm. Plants are pot watered with rose can immediately after transplanting and every day until the plants get established. Misting is done in the seasons of low humidity. Drenching of the beds can be done with 0.3% COC if mortality of seedlings is noticed.
Beds have to be watered to field capacity before transplanting. Seedlings of 25 days old, vigorous and uniform size are selected for planting. Portrays with seedlings are drenched with Bavistin (0.1%) and super phosphate slurry (1.5%) in early morning hours or previous day evening. Better to transplant in early morning hours or preferably in the evenings on a hour day. Seedlings from the protrays are removed by giving slight pressure from the bottom of the individual cells. Transplant the seedlings at recommended spacing at a shallow depth of 2 2.5 cm. Plants are pot watered with rose can immediately after transplanting and every day until the plants get established. Misting is done in the seasons of low humidity. Drenching of the beds can be done with 0.3% COC if mortality of seedlings is noticed.
Spacing and plant population
Paired row system of planting is followed to gain more walking space in between beds. Within the row a distance of 45 cm is maintained. Leaving equal distance from the margin of 1m wide bed (20cm), two rows of tomato seedlings are planted at a spacing of 60cm. Beds are spaced at 50 cm spacing. Hence this system becomes 60-90-60 method of paired row planting method, which is equivalent to 75 cm uniform row spacing. Thus plant population per square meter of gross plot area is 2.96 plants/m2
Paired row system of planting is followed to gain more walking space in between beds. Within the row a distance of 45 cm is maintained. Leaving equal distance from the margin of 1m wide bed (20cm), two rows of tomato seedlings are planted at a spacing of 60cm. Beds are spaced at 50 cm spacing. Hence this system becomes 60-90-60 method of paired row planting method, which is equivalent to 75 cm uniform row spacing. Thus plant population per square meter of gross plot area is 2.96 plants/m2
Irrigation
Drip irrigation is given daily to replenish 50 per cent of open pan evaporation.
Drip irrigation is given daily to replenish 50 per cent of open pan evaporation.
Fertigation
Fertigation is carried out using water soluble fertilizers (19:19:19 :WSF) @ 250: 250: 250 N:P2O5:K2O Kg/ha for a six month duration crop from 3rd week after transplanting. Fertigation is carried out twice a week for 18 weeks. Use 19:19:19 WSF at the rate of 3.65 g/ m2 for every fertigation
Fertigation is carried out using water soluble fertilizers (19:19:19 :WSF) @ 250: 250: 250 N:P2O5:K2O Kg/ha for a six month duration crop from 3rd week after transplanting. Fertigation is carried out twice a week for 18 weeks. Use 19:19:19 WSF at the rate of 3.65 g/ m2 for every fertigation
Pruning and training
The tomato plants are pruned to two stems per plant. Pruning usually starts 20 to 30 days after transplanting. Plants are pruned at weekly intervals. The main stem of tomato plant branches into two after the first flower cluster which are the only two branches (stems) that are retained and all other branches are removed. Branches developing at the base of the stem are also removed. Plants can be topped 6 weeks before the crop removal. Plants are twined along the plastic twine. One inch wide polyethylene tube can be used for this purpose. Separate plastic twine has to be provided to each branch. Braches has to be tied to the plastic twines so that the branches do not break up due to the weight of the fruits. Tying of plants to the plastic twine starts from 4th week after transplanting and tying is usually done at weekly interval along with the pruning operation.
The tomato plants are pruned to two stems per plant. Pruning usually starts 20 to 30 days after transplanting. Plants are pruned at weekly intervals. The main stem of tomato plant branches into two after the first flower cluster which are the only two branches (stems) that are retained and all other branches are removed. Branches developing at the base of the stem are also removed. Plants can be topped 6 weeks before the crop removal. Plants are twined along the plastic twine. One inch wide polyethylene tube can be used for this purpose. Separate plastic twine has to be provided to each branch. Braches has to be tied to the plastic twines so that the branches do not break up due to the weight of the fruits. Tying of plants to the plastic twine starts from 4th week after transplanting and tying is usually done at weekly interval along with the pruning operation.
Lowering of plants
Plants tend to grow indeterminately and reach the height of 6-7 feet very quickly. For this reason plants are lowered periodically so that the plants are maintained at workable heights. For this purpose, extra length of plastic twine has to be provided in the beginning itself. Lowering is done at 20 to 30 days interval starting from 80 to 90 days after transplanting.
Plants tend to grow indeterminately and reach the height of 6-7 feet very quickly. For this reason plants are lowered periodically so that the plants are maintained at workable heights. For this purpose, extra length of plastic twine has to be provided in the beginning itself. Lowering is done at 20 to 30 days interval starting from 80 to 90 days after transplanting.
Deleafing.
Deleafing the older leaves has to be done periodically starting from 70-80 days after transplanting. Leaf is retained in the stem to a length of about five feet from the growing tip at any given point of time.
Deleafing the older leaves has to be done periodically starting from 70-80 days after transplanting. Leaf is retained in the stem to a length of about five feet from the growing tip at any given point of time.
Harvesting
Harvesting of tomato fruits starts at 70 to 80 days after transplanting and continues until 170 to 180 days. Harvesting of fruits is done at a weekly interval. Fruits should be harvested at breaker stage.
Harvesting of tomato fruits starts at 70 to 80 days after transplanting and continues until 170 to 180 days. Harvesting of fruits is done at a weekly interval. Fruits should be harvested at breaker stage.
Yield
A marketable fruit yield of 170 to 180 t/ ha can be realized from the crop of 6- month duration (17 to 18 kg/m2 of gross plot area, 5.7 to 6.0 kg/plant). Individual fruit weight varies from 100 g/ fruit during initial harvests to 60 g/fruit during last harvests.
A marketable fruit yield of 170 to 180 t/ ha can be realized from the crop of 6- month duration (17 to 18 kg/m2 of gross plot area, 5.7 to 6.0 kg/plant). Individual fruit weight varies from 100 g/ fruit during initial harvests to 60 g/fruit during last harvests.
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