Abstract

Tomato which ranks among the world's largest crops, though next only to potato and sweet potato in area and production, is grown in India only to a limited extent. According to Choudhury (1967), the area under tomato in India is estimated to be a little more than 36,000 ha. Tomato is grown in Tamil Nadu in an area of about 2,000 ha. The strains of tomato evolved in the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi and non- descript local varieties have been so far grown in Tamil Nadu. On account of the importance of tomato as a protective food, and the possibility of its wide cultivation and lending itself for making a wide variety of preserved foods, it is necessary that strains suited to varying agro-climatic conditions are evolved and released for general cultivation. With this end in view, work was undertaken in the Vegetable Section of the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore to evolve a strain of tomato which would surpass the existing strains under cultivation in the State, in both yield and quality.

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