Prepared By : Abhijeet Onkar Kate Email: Abhikate@rediffmail.com

1. Hybrid Tomato package of practices
Prepared by: Abhijeet O. Kate
Msc. Agri (Entomology), MBA(ABM)
Email: abhikate@rediffmail.com

2. Crop : Tomato
Family:
Climate Condition:
Ideal growing conditions are needed to produce high quality seed. The tomato is a warm-season crop.
It is not only sensitive to frost but it does not thrive at low, non-freezing temperatures. High
temperature accompanied by low humidity and dry winds, frequently damage floral parts and there is
no fruit-set. Tomato pollen grains germinate best at 29.40C, nearly as well at 21.10C, The crop does
well under an average monthly temperature of 210C to 230C but it may be grown at temperatures
ranging from 180C to 270C. Temperature and light intensity affect the fruit-set, pigmentation and
nutritive value of the fruit. Both high and low temperatures interfere with the setting of fruit.
The tomato withstands drought fairly well but fruits are subject to blossom end rot and to growth
cracks if moisture supply follows drought. It cannot be grown successfully in regions of higher
rainfall.
Soil Selection:. The tomato grows on all type of soils from light sandy to heavy clay. Light soils are
good for an early crop, while clay loam and silt-loam soils are well suited for heavy yields. The best
soil for tomato is rich loam, with a little sand in the upper layer, and a good clay in the sub-soil. Good
texture of the soil is of primary importance. Tomatoes do best in a soil that has a soil reaction from
pH 6.0 to 7.0.
Grower Selection: Select grower on the basis of economic condition, resources available for
production and irrigation source should be taken into consideration.
Previous Crops: Cucumber, green gram soyabean
Isolation Distance: An isolation of 100 m as recommended by the Seed Certification Agency shuld
Maintain between other contaminating tomato varieties in the field.
Sowing season: The nursery can be raised during Aug – Sept. before seedlings distributing for
transplanting to the main field. Seedlings may ready within 30 to 35 days .

3. Land preparation:
One month before taking up of sowing the land should be ploughed, harrowed. Proper
land preparations at correct season and time with the appropriate time of sowing will help
to obtain higher yields. When the land is ploughed there should be enough moisture in
the soil. So that with less number of ploughings itself land attains good physical
condition. Number and depth of ploughings depends on weed growth intensity in that
area, seed rate, nature of crop root growth After getting suitable and required tilth of soil
land should be perfectly leveled. Organic Manure: Farm Yard Manure 20 to 25 tons/acre
is applied.
Bed preparation: 2 feet bed (single row planting) 3 feet bed for Zigzag planting & 1.5
feet irrigation Channel, It may varied depends on cultivar .
Planting distance: 1.5 feet plant to plant should maintained for single row planting.
Transplanting of Seedlings:
Healthy, uniform sized true to type male and female seedlings which 35 days old may
transplant at the rate of one seedling per hill with an inter spacing of 45 cm to 60 cm
each depends on cultivar. In first planting, Male parent seedlings transplant 8 days
earlier to the female parent and entire female parent seedlings transplant simultaneously
Separate female and male parent blocks will maintain with some distance. Use high
quality, pathogen-free seedlings and remove diseased leaves and seedlings promptly.
Control weeds regularly. If you have a disease outbreak in one part of the cage, work in
other areas of the field before working in the diseased area. To restrict the spread of
tobamo virus, dip your hands and tools in milk before handling pepper plants. Be aware
that irrigation water can carry pathogen.

4. Ratio of Male to Female Plants:
It is important to have plenty of pollen available for making hybrid crosses. tomato
vines bloom profusely, a ratio of one male for every four female plants is
recommended.
Mulching: Mulching is recommended to reduce weed competition, soil
compaction, and soil erosion. Mulching also maintains a uniform root environment
and conserves soil moisture.
Irrigation: Tomato plants are shallow-rooted Fields should be irrigate Thorough
irrigation provide uniform soil moisture, essential for optimum plant and fruit
growth. Drip irrigation are recommended It is necessary to maintain an even
moisture supply. Over watering is as harmful as insufficient irrigation. Young
plants should be watered only when they apparently need it. Therefore, staked
crops will need water every five to seven days and ground crops every ten days. A
period of drought followed by sudden heavy watering during the fruiting period
may cause cracking of fruits. During summer season, irrigation at every 3 to 4
days interval is necessary, whereas in winter 10 to 15 days interval is sufficient.
Staking Method: The female parent is staked. Staking facilitates the handling of
plants during emasculation and pollination. Staking also keeps the ripening fruits
above the ground and prevents rotting. Plants are trellised along with plants from
the adjoining bed so that work operations are done on the raised bed rather than
in the furrow. Among male lines, only indeterminate types need to be staked. If
male lines are staked, trellising can be done within beds or across adjoining beds.

5. Fertilizer application:
First dose 6-8 days after transplanting: 50:100:100 NPK Kg/acre Second dose 20 –
25 days after first application: 25: 50: 50 NPK kg / acre. Third dose 20 – 25 days
after second application: 25: 0: 0 NPK Kg/acre. At the time of Flowering: Sulphur
(Bensulf) 10 Kg/acre. At the time of Fruit Setting: Boracol 50 Kg./acre. Spray
Calcium nitrate (1%solution) at the time of flowering to increase fruit set.
Fertigation:
The use of proper quantity of fertilizers at appropriate time plays a vital role in
increasing the productivity Fertigation, which combines irrigation with fertilizers is
one most effective and convenient means of maintaining the specific requirement of
each crop and soil. Drip irrigation system offers an opportunity for precise
application of water-soluble fertilizers and other nutrients to the soil, at appropriate
time with desired concentration.
Pollination : Pollination start 25 to 30 days after transplanting.
Male and Female Rouging:
The male and female lines must be 100% pure. Know the plant habit, leaf type, and
immature fruit characters e.g shape, size, and shoulder coloring of each parent.
Regularly inspect the plants. Remove any off-type (usually inferior) or virus infected
plants before hybridization procedures begin. Symptoms of viruses include yellow
mottling of leaves, severe curling, cupping or other distortion of foliage and stunting
of plants.
Pollination Tools: Container for staminate(Male) fresh flower bud collection from
male line.

6. Staminate (Male) flower collection:
Collect flowers from the male parent to extract pollen . The best time for pollen collection
is during the early morning before the pollen has been shed. Avoid pollen collection on
rainy days. Remove the anther cones from the flowers and put them in suitable
containers, Dry the anther cones by placing them 30 cm below a 100-watt lamp for 12
hours The lamp creates a drying temperature of about 30°C. Pollen can also be sun-
dried, but avoid drying at midday when temperature is very high. Put the dried anther
cones in a plastic pan or cup. Cover the cup with a fine mesh screen (200-300 mesh) and
then seal it with a similar tight-fitting cup, serving as a lid. Shake the cup about 10-20
times so that the pollen is collected in the "lid" cup. Transfer the pollen into a small
convenient-tohandle container for pollination. Fresh pollen is best for good fruit-set.
Emasculation:
Remove androecium (stamens) from bisexual flowers, The buds to be opened next day
must select in female parent and Use sharp-pointed forceps to force open the selected
buds. Then, split open the anther cone Carefully pull the anther cone out of the bud
remove the androecium along with the corolla during emasculation. The emasculation is
carry out daily from 2-00 to 6-00 pm. The care should taken to remove the
unemasculated flowers found during emasculation to avoid genetic contamination in the
crossed ones.

7. Selection of proper Bud Removal of Anthers
Emasculated Bud for pollination Pollination Pollinated Fruits

8. Pollination process:
Emasculated flowers are generally pollinate two days later. Try to avoid
pollination on rainy days. The corolla of the emasculated flower turns bright
yellow, this is sign that the stigma is ready for pollination , Dip the stigma
in to pollen Containing plastic tubes, Successful pollinations are easily
seen within one week by the enlargement of the fruit. Finally two to three
sepals on each fruit have been cut to indicate that marked as pollinated
fruit . Non-hybrid fruits remove before harvesting. Pollination may finish
within 25 to 30 days depend on environmental condition and fruit setting
on plants.
Fruit Development Stage

9. Post Pollination:
Remove and destroy male plants as soon as pollination finish. Strengthen water and fertilizer
management and disease control.
Harvest:
Be sure to check for the clipped sepal before harvesting fruit, Tomato fruits ripen about 50-60 days
after Pollination, but may take longer if temperatures are cool Keep fruits in cool place for 4 to 5 days
for after ripening.
Seed extraction:
Manual Extraction Method:
Harvest the ripe fruits and keep them in nylon bags .Crush the fruits by trampling with feet Put
crushed fruits into big plastic containers and ferment to separate the gel mass embedding the seeds.
12 to 24 hours of fermentation may be sufficient, Fermentation for more than 24 hours may spoil the
seed quality.
Mechanical Extraction:
Put ripe fruits into a mechanical seed extractor for crushing and separation of the seeds and gel from
the pulp, Gather the seeds and gel mass in a suitable container such as plastic tub or bucket.

10. Manual Extraction Machine Extraction
Fermentation Process Removing flesh & gel Clean seeds at the bottom

11. Washing:
To wash the seeds, put them in an open plastic container. Then fill the
container with water and stir the seeds to allow the pieces of flesh and
skin sticking on the seeds to float, Incline the container and gently
remove the floating refuse, making sure that the seeds remain at the
bottom, Repeat the washing several times, adding fresh water to the
container every time until all the flesh and gel are completely
removed, leaving clean seeds at the bottom.
Treatment:
Using HCL 30% (Concentration may varies ) for 1 liter water 20 ml HCL
, Place the seeds into the treatment solution and mix continuously over a
period of 30 minutes . The working solution needs to be made up fresh
each day and can be used ONLY ONCE before discarding. Rinse seeds for
5 minutes with clean running tap water. Immediately place to dry at a
temperature not exceeding 32º C.
Drying: Place a nylon mesh about 1m from the ground, put the seed on
the mesh. The seed layer should thin for immediate seed drying. . The
seeds are dried for 1-2 hours in direct sunlight before drying in semi
shade. Stir the seeds two to three times daily so that seeds dry uniformly.
Loosen any seeds that clump together.

12. Thanks