Tomato
Lycopersicon esculentum (Syn. Solanum lycopersicum)
Golden Apple, Love Apple, Peruvian Apple, Tomatl;
Pomme d’amour{Pomme des Mours = eggplant}, Tomate (French); Tomate
(German and Spanish); Pomodoro {“Golden Apple”}(Italy); Tomate {Grande}
(Portugal/Brazil); Náhuatl (Mexico, from Aztec tomatl); Tammatter (Hindi);
Banjan-e Rumi (Pashtu and Dari); Ematya (Angola); Teemateem (Ethiopia)
Tomatoes were already widely cultivated in what is now Peru, Ecuador and Mexico
when the Spanish arrived there. When the Spanish introduced these new fruits to
Europe they were greeted with suspicion because they are members of the
Solanaceae (nightshade) family, which includes Deadly Nightshade, Tobacco,
Henbane, Thorn-apple and Belladonna, as well as potatoes, egg plants, peppers,
tamarillos {tree tomatoes}(Cyphomandra betacea) and tomatillos (Physalis
philadelphica and P. ixocarpa).
Since then tomatoes have become one of the main vegetable crops in many parts
of the world, and global production is estimated at around 60 million MT per year.
A large number of varieties are available, adapted to grow in a wide range of
climates and conditions, though they are not well suited to the wet tropics. Many of
the older varieties have an indeterminate growth habit (the cordon types eg
“Gardeners Delight” and “Shirley”), while plant breeders have been mainly
elsewhere, the stigma protrudes beyond the anthers, allowing some cross-pollination
to take place. Hybrid seed is commonly used.
The plants are either half-hardy annuals or short-lived perennials in warm
climates. In temperate and other regions they are grown as annuals. They have stems
70–200 cm long, or even longer with some trailing (indeterminate) varieties, which
normally benefit from support, growing up sticks or string, against a wall, etc.
The roots and leaves are poisonous, containing the neurotoxin solanine which
can cause vomiting and nausea if eaten to excess. Solanine is also found in potatoes,
and deadly nightshade; it has both insecticidal and fungicidal properties and is one
of the plants natural defense mechanisms.
Stems can readily establish adventitious roots when they are in contact with
moist earth, which can be done deliberately by the farmer/gardener if there is a large
gap to be filled amongst the tomato crop, a procedure often known as layering.
PLANTING
Propagation: by seed, though cuttings and graftings also work well. Seed is normally
planted in nurseries, indoors in temperate climates, and transplanted some 4 6 weeks –
later when the plants are 15–20 cm tall. Seed can easily be obtained from home grown,
ripe tomatoes.
240 TONY WINCH
semibush types eg “Glacier”), particularly useful for mechanised harvesting.
producing determinate varieties (the bush types eg “Roma”, “Marmande” and
Tomatoes are almost always self-pollinated; in tropical regions, and sometimes