Tomato is an important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Seed production requires isolation of seed fields, inspection for off-types and rouging, and harvesting mature fruits for seed extraction using acid treatment. Hybrid seed production involves emasculation of male parents before anthesis and dusting of female parents with pollen. Seeds are dried, graded, and stored properly to maintain viability for 2-3 years. A new tomato variety called Megha Tomato-10 has been developed for the Northeast region of India that is resistant to diseases and can be grown under low temperatures.

1. SEED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF
TOMATO

2. TOMATO

3. • INTRODUCTION
Tomato is one of the most important
vegetable crop grown extensively in the
tropical and sub tropical belts of the world.
It is grown Mainly for market and to a little
extent for processing.
Increased is now being bestowed to breeding
and production of tomato.

4. BOTANY:

5. LAND REQUIREMENTS
 The land should be free of volunteer plants. A well-drained fairly
fertile loam with a fair moisture holding capacity is ideal for
growing of good crop of tomato.
 ISOLATION REQUIREMENTS : seed fields shld be isolated from
other varities of tomato by at least 50 and 25 m for foundation and
certified.

FIELD INSPECTION
 A minimum of three inspections should be done,the first before
flowering, the second during flowering and fruiting stage, and the
third at the mature fruit stage and prior to harvesting.

8. Brief cultural practice s
Time of sowing; Northern plains;june- August, November to
December;souther states: September to October;in hilly
areas:march-april.
Preparation of land: prepare the field to a a good tilth by
ploughing,two to three harrowings follwed by levelling.
Sources of seeds: obtain nucleus / breeders / foundation seed
from source approved by a seed certification agency.
Seed rate: 400 -500g/ha

9. Sow the seeds in raised nursery bed of 20 cm in ht ,in rows of 5cm
gap and covered with sand.
Ten nursery beds Will be sufficient transplant one acre
Apply 2kg of DAP 10 days before pulling out of seedlings
Transplanting:
Transplanting should be done with the seedlings are 20 -25 days old ,
preferably at evening time
Spacing is 60×45 cm
Female parents of hybrids 90×60 cm
Male parents of hybrids 60×45 cm
NURSERY

10. • IRRIGATION:
Irrigate fortnightly during winter and weekly in
summer
INTERCULTURAL OPERATION S :
Shallow cultivation is frequently required especially during the first
four weeks. Two-three hoeing and weeding,from time to time,are
necessary to keep the seed field clean of weeds. Pre emergence
application of oxyflurofen@0.25kga.i/ha, combined with one hand
weeding at 45DAT has been recommended for controlling weeds.
STAKING
Staking is very essential operation in indeterminate group of open
pollinated varities and Hybrids for good quality fruit’s.
Staking is done either by bamboo sticks or trained on wire.

11. Method of seed production
 Seed to seed
Stages of seed production
1. BREEDER SEED
2. FOUNDATION SEED 1
3. FOUNDATION SEED I I
4. CERTIFIED SEED

12. Manuring
 After thorough preparation of a field to fine tilth
 Apply 25 tons of FYM ha
 Apply 75:60:60 kg of NPK / ha at the time of transplaning .Top dressing nitrogen@75kg/ha
in two doses,one after 15-20 days of transplanting and the other at flowering stage 40-45
days transplant ing
Planting ratio : For hybrid seed production,the female and male parents are
normally planted in the ratio 12:1 or 12:2
ROUGING : The Rouging, should be done based on the plant character
(determinate/indeterminate),leaf, branching and spreading character s and also based
on the fruit size, shape and colour. The plants affected by the early blight,leaf spot
and mosaic virus ( TMV) diseases should be removed from the seed production field.

13. PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT
 The major diseases in tomato are early blight and mosaic virus
 The early blight rot can be controlled by spraying be late or Diathane
 Major pests : Aphids, cut worm etc
HARVESTING
The fruits are harvested after full
maturity of the fruit when turn in to red
color fruits and last one or two harvests
should not be used for seed extraction.

14. Varities and Hybrids
 INDETERMINATE VARITIES :
 Pusa Ruby , Naveen,Arka vikas.
 DETERMINATE VARITIES:
 Pusa early,Rupali,pusa sheetal
 HYBRIDS:
 Plant hybrid-2 ,Rupali,sonali,pusa hybrid- 1-4.
 SEED YIELD : 100-120Kg/ha

15. STAGES OF MATURATION
1) MATURE GREEN
2) BREAKER
3) TURNING
4) PINK
5) RED
6) OVER RIPE /OVER RIPE

16. SEED EXTRACTION
The fruits in between 6-7 harvest should be used
for seed extraction.
Thee seed viability is dependent on the method on
which the seeds were extracted and hence,it is
more important to choose proper methods of
seed extraction.
Before seed extraction, the fruits are to be graded
for true to type and selection of medium to large
size fruits for getting higher recovery of quality
seeds.

17. ACID METHOD OF SEED EXTRACTION
The acid method of seed extraction is the best method for tomato seed
extraction
In this method ,the fruits Are to be crushed into pulp and taken in
plastic containers or cement tank
And then add 30 ml of commercial Hydrochloric acid per kg of pulp,
stir well and allow it half hour
In between this duration the pulp may be stired well for one or two
times this facilitates separation seed from pulp.
After half an hour the seeds will settle down at the bottom and then
floating fraction is to be removed
The collected seed should be washed with water 3or4 times .

21. DRYING, GRADING AND STORAGE.
Drying of seeds are to be dried in the shades . It should
never been dried in the hot sun . The safe moisture
contain the seed 8to 9% seeds .
can be graded using round perforated sieve .
Store the seeds in cloth bags or moisture
proof/resistance containers and kept in a cool and dry
place.
Carefully and properly stored seeds can retain it's viability
for 2-3 yr .

22. HYBRID SEED PRODUCTION
1. Emasculation and dusting
 Emasculation is done before the anthers are matured and as the stigma
become receptive to minimize accidental self pollination
 This emasculation is generally done in the evening , between 4pm and 6 pm
one day before the anthers are expected to dehissce or mature and stigma is
likely to become fully receptive

 Emasculated the bud by hand with the help of needle and forceps remove the
coralla or anthers . Leaving gynoecium i.e stigma and style intact in the flower
 After emasculation the flower buds are covered with butter bag to avoid
pollination with foreign pollen

25. CERTIFICATION OF
SEEDS
No of inspections
A minimum of three inspections shall be made as follows
The first inspection shall be made before flowering an order to verify
isolation, volunteer plants , and other relevant factors
The second inspection shall be made during flowering to check
isolation, offtypes and other relevant factors
The third inspection shall be made at maturity and prior to harvesting
to verify true nature of plants and other relevant factors.

26. Recent works:
The new tomato variety released for
North East region : ( Megha Tomato-10)
The variety developed by ICAR research complex for
NEH region, Barapani carrier's characters sufficient to
fight against the draconian disease and survive under
low temp.
It is successfully grown in rainfed as well as irrigated.