News & Pics: Suvarna Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/RX)
Udupi, Mar 8: The scientists of Agriculture Research Centre, Brahmavar, near here proved that tomato farming can be undertaken effectively by growing 34 plants in one cent of plot, recently.
Tomatoes grow abundantly in Tumkur, Kolar, Mandya, Mysore, rural Bangalore and other southern districts in the state. The recent experiments in the Udupi district by the scientists yielded bumper crop of tomatoes.
Tomato can be grown as mixed crop:
Tomatoes that grow lush in arid climate can be grown in the coastal district in red soil. It can be grown as mixed crop along with ladyfinger, broccoli and other crops with significant output.
Method of saplings:
The little plastic bag needs to be filled with proportion of manure and red soil. Sow good quality tomato seeds in it. Sprinkle water in it for once in two days, the saplings will be ready in 25 days.
Planting method:
Dig pits of about 1.5 feet depth between 2 to 3 feet distance. The proportionate amount of cow-dung and chemical fertilizers to be filled into pits before planting the saplings. The plants will begin to flower in a month. The plants should be manured again and irrigated once in two days.
The plants give tender tomatoes in two months of planting them. A healthy plant can grow from 4 to 5 feet height. A wooden support would help the plants to withstand the weight till the crop ripens. It can grow up to five feet in green houses. The plants can yield for four months if it is supplied with manure and water.
The scientists at Agriculture Research Centre, Brahmavar have shown through their experiments that nearly 200 kilograms of tomatoes can be yielded from 30 plants that are grown in just one cent of plot.
Proportion of manure / water:
If the tomato plants are grown in hilly regions of coastal district, it needs watering once in two days, if it’s grown in plains, watering is essential in once in 3 to 4 days. The compost and chemical fertilizers including cow-dung to be provided to the plants once in 20 days, in order to get bumper yield.
The crop is disease-free initially:
Dr Dhananjay, scientist at the Centre says that initially the plant is free from disease. If the same farming is done for over 4 to 5 years in the same plot, the plant may develop some diseases.
Meanwhile, the scientists at the Centre caution the agriculturists to take caution on venturing into large scale tomato farming. The quality of soil is essentially tested for suitability.
Tomato farming that has been a profitable venture in the arid climates also suits well to the coastal district and its possible to grow as a mixed crop and able to get good yield throughout the year.
For more information, contact on 0820-2563923.