Tomato (con't)

Pest Management
Insect pests and diseases of tomato are managed by using chemical, biological, and remedial
measures. Most of the pests and diseases of tomato are common throughout the year except thrips
and whiteflies, which are present only during dry season starting in January, declining in May and
ending in June or July depending on the arrival of rain. The farmer or any amateur grower may try
the suggested biological and remedial measures in managing the insect pests and diseases as
presented in Table 3. In case of pest outbreaks, the use of chemical pesticides as shown in Table 4
is the last resort.
Insect Pests

1. 28-spotted beetle (Epilachna philippinensis) –  This is a small beetle (Figure 3a) with

brownish yellow forewings dotted with 28 black spots.  Both adults and larvae are
destructive by feeding on the leaves of tomato and other solanaceous crops.  They feed by
scraping the surface of the leaves until it has been skeletonized.

2. Fruit worm (Heliothis armigera.) – The polyphagous larva (Figure. 3b) of this insect feed
on corn, tobacco, cotton and other vegetables.  In tomato, the larva damages the fruit at
any stage of growth rendering it non-marketable.

3. Aphids (Aphis gossypii) – The insect pest (Figure. 3c) attacks tomato, cotton, and other
crops by sucking the sap of the leaves and stem of the plant. It can also transmit (vector)
cucumber mosaic virus.  Severe infestation of aphids results in the accumulation of their
sweet and sticky substances on the infested plant parts, which serve as a medium for the
growth of black molds that block the photosynthetic activity of the leaves.  It is the
aphids’ secret toxic substances that result in curling of the shoots and dwarfing of the
internodes of tomato. This symptom reduces the plants’ reproductive potentials.

4. White fly (Bemicia tabaci) – This white fly (Figure. 3d) is a serious pest of tomato that
attacks the plant by sucking the sap of the leaves. It also acts as a vector of tomato yellow
leaf curl virus (TYLCV) that causes yellowing and curling of tomato leaves resulting in
stunted plants with aborted flower and fewer fruits.
 Figure 3. a) 28 spotted beetle adult and larvae b) Tomato fruit
worm c) Aphids and d) White Flies. Photos a&b from East West
Seed Company, c&d
from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/ and http://www.garden
forum.demon.co.uk/

5. Thrips (Frankiniella occidentalis) are minute pests that suck the leaves of the tomato. It is
a vector of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) that reduces yield.

 
Diseases

1. Tomato mosaic Virus (TMW) - This virus causes mosaic pattern on the leaves of tomato
coupled with curling of the young leaves and shoots (Fig. 4a).  Most of the varieties are
tolerant to tomato mosaic virus and are capable of bearing fruits throughout their life span
but are not prolific as the healthy plant.  The disease is seed-borne.

2. Late blight – is caused by the fungus. Phytophthora infestans (Montagne) de Bary. The
symptoms are seen as brown spots on the older leaves with yellowish advancing lesion. 
Under favorable condition the symptom progress to upper leaves, stems and fruits (Fig.4b)
of the plant. 
The advance stage of the disease is seen as a whitish growth on the fruit.  The disease can
be transmitted by mechanical means while the growth and development of this fungus is
favored by a moist and cooler condition of the environment. Under severe infection, the
plant may succumb to death.
3. Bacterial wilt – The causal organism is Pseudomonas solanacearum that infects tomato and
other solanaceous crops.  The pathogen is either soil-borne or seed-borne.  It invades the
roots of tomato then progresses to the vascular bundle where it interferes with the
translocation of nutrients and water.  Advanced symptom is browning of the inner parts of
the stem (Figure. 4c), wilting of the plant before it dies.

4. Bacterial spot -  is caused by Xanthomonas campestris var. vesicatoria an agent of

bacterial spot, which is characterized by a sunken irregular brown spots on the fruits,
stems, and leaves of tomato (Fig. 4d).  Fruits infected with bacterial spots are considered
non-marketable.  The disease is common during wet season planting and is transmitted
through the seeds.  Weeds are some of the alternate hosts of this bacterium, which
becomes latent after the cropping period.

Figure 4. a) Tomato Mosaic Virus b) Late blight c) Bacterial wilt

and d) Bacterial spot of tomato. Photos
from http://www.avrdc.org/
5. Root knot nematode - This parasitic nematode (Melodogyne incognita) attacks the roots of
tomato that results in the formation of knots and galls on the roots.  Infected tomato
become susceptible to other root disease.  Above ground symptoms shows stunting of the
plant with moderate wilting as that of water stress.

6. Fusarium Wilt – the fungus Fusarium oxysporum is the causal agent of the fungal wilt of
tomato.  The pathogen is soil-borne with the similar symptom with that of bacterial wilt. 
The only difference is the presence of white mycelia (thread-like) that grow on the
infected part of the plant.

7. Early blight  Alternaria solani (Ell. and G. Martin) Sor. –  This fungus incites the symptom
of early blight in tomato.  This fungus is prevalent during the cool months of the year,
infecting the leaves, stems and aboveground parts of the plant. The symptom appears as
target-like spots on the leaves. At fruiting stage, infected fruit shows numerous irregular
spots and the disease can cause high yield loss if not immediately controlled

8. Powdery mildew - is caused by the fungus Leveillula taurica (Lev) Arnaud.   The symptom
is like a white talcum powder on the surface and undersurface of the leaves. The growth
and development is favored by warm condition of the environment with low humidity.  The
profuse powdery growth of the organism covers the surface of the leaves and other parts
causing the leaves to become yellowish then turns brown and die.

9. Leaf mold -    The causal organism of this disease is Cladosporium fulvum Cooke.  It is
characterized by brownish spots with molds on the under surface of the leaves and later
coalesce into blight.  During severe infections, the leaves turn brown and die resulting in
reduced flowering and fruiting span of the plant.

10. Blossom end rot - The primary symptom of this physiological disorder (Figure 5) is calcium
deficiency, which is  characterized by dry rot  with water-soaked appearance at the
blossom end of the immature fruits,  It later enlarges and turns into papery or leathery
sunken brown to black rot upon infection of saprophytic fungi (secondary symptom). Fruits
with end rots are non– marketable.
 

Figure 5. Blossom end rot of tomato.

Photo from East West Seed Company
 
Table 3. Biological and remedial control of pests and diseases of tomato.
Insect pest and diseases Suggested management

To control worms at fruiting stage, spray neem seed extract at 200-

300 ml/16 L or hot pepper fruit extract 100-200 ml/16 L. For
A.) Insect pest: cutworm, spray before twilight.
fruitworms/cutworms
Spray with Thuricide HP or Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis) following
manufacturers recommended dosage. These are bacterial pesticides

To drove other pests spray 100-200 ml pure tubai leaf extract/16 L of

water on the plants alternate it with spraying karot tuber extract
(100-200 ml tuber extract per 16 L water). Do it twice a week.
28 spotted beatle, mites, Puff smoke on the crop twice a week during the whole growing
leafhoppers, period.
whitefly/thrips
For thrips, mites, leafhopper and white fly, practice overhead
irrigation.

For thrips use blue sticky trap, for whitefly use yellow sticky trap.

To control these disease spray the leaves with zinc oxide power at 2-
B) Diseases:
3 tbsp/16 L water (with 1 tbsp sticker during wet season). Spray
Leaf spot
decoction of serpentina 10ml extract per 16 L water.

Fungal wilt/bacterial wilt Treat the seeds with Centella asiatica (takip kuhol) decoction at
45°C to 50 °C for 2-5 minutes. Uproot infected plants and burn
 outside the area. Drench infected soil with 5% solution of zonrox
then expose to sunlight. Avoid surface irrigation. Do not cultivate or
touch infected plants as this will transfer the pathogens to other
plants. If possible, hand water the plants early in the morning or late
in the afternoon with 1 L/plant every week at vegetative stage and 2
L/plant every two weeks at fruiting stage for clay loam soil.

To prevent this disease, spray a decoction of guava, star apple and

avocado (done by boiling 1 kg leaves of each in 3 gallons of water for
5 minutes). For stronger concentration, restore 1 gallon decoction to
Bacterial spot 16 L water with 1 tbsp sticker. Spray on leaves and fruits of tomato
once a week.

Minimal infection if grown after rice. Practice good drainage and use
large dose of organic manure.

Spray Cassia alata (Andadasi or Acapulco) leaf extract at the rate of

1 L leaf extract/16 L water with sticker then spray vigorously on
leaves and whole plants. For severe infection, spray a ratio of 1:1
Powdery mildew leaf extract to water twice a week until the fruiting stage. As a
disinfectant and as a preventive measure, spray 16 ml zonrox per/6 L
of water or 1tbsp baking soda/16 L of water on the whole plant once
a week.

Burn infected plant residues after harvest. Plant tomato after rice
Leaf mold and plant other crops after tomato (crop rotation). Plant resistant
varieties.

Plant 1 month old marigold seedlings as intercrop two weeks before

Nematode
transplanting of tomato. Plant resistant varieties.

Early Blight Spray Acapulco leaf extract.

Late Blight Spray Acapulco leaf extract alternate with serpentine decoction.

Spray the plants with nutrients high in calcium at flowering stage. Or

spray the plant with fresh malunggay leaf extract at a ratio of 1:4
Blossom rot malunggay extract to water. Or spray with decoction of seaweeds,
decoction of burned sea shells, crabs and shrimps skeletons (1:10
shells to water).

Sources: Colting, L. M., et al, 2003; Farmers’/Gardeners’ Practices

 
Table 4.  Chemical control of insect pests and diseases of tomato.
Insect Pests Suggested Pesticides Rate When and How to Apply
 Application
Product
and Diseases Common Name (tbsp/16 L
Name
water)

A. Insect Pests

Lannete
Aphids Methomyl 4.0-8.0
40 SP

28-spotted
Sevin 85 S 4.0-6.0
beetle
Carbaryl
Provin 85
Thrips 4.0-6.0 Spray any of the insecticides as
WP
soon as insect infestation is
Lannate observed. Repeat spraying at 7-
Methomyl 4.0-8.0
40 SP 10 days interval or depending on
level of insect population.
Deltametrin Decis R 1.5-2.5
Fruit worm Karate 2.5
Lambdacyhalothrin 1.0-1.5
EC

Provin 85
Carbaryl 4.0-6.0
WP

Actara 25 Spray as soon as symptoms are

Thiamethoxan 1.5-2.0
Whiteflies WG observed. Repeat at 7-10 days
Triazophos Hercules 4.0-6.0 depending on level of infection.

Daconil 75
Chlorathalonil 4.0-6.0
B.Diseases WP
Powdery Spray as soon as symptoms are
Dithane
mildew, Early & Mancozeb 4.0-6.0 observed. Repeat at 7-10 days
M-45
late blight/Leaf depending on level of infection.
spot Ridomil
Metalaxyl 6.0-10.0
MZ 58 WP

Spray when the first cluster is

well formed. Repeat if required.
Vitigran
Bacterial spot Treat the seeds with 5% lime
Copper oxychloride Blue 35 4.0-6.0
Bacterial wilt solution than subject to 50°C for
WP
two hours; air dry the seeds
before sowing.

Source: Gajete, T.D. et. al 2004

 
Weeding

By using a carabao-drawn plow or hand hoe, cultivate in between rows of plants by off barring at
14-21 DAT. Hill-up at 28-35 DAT. Spot-weed at the surrounding of the seedlings after each off-
barring and hilling-up if there are standing weeds. If plastic mulch is available, mulch the area
before transplanting.

Harvest Management
Harvest fruits intended for future use at matured green stage at 1-2 months during rainy season.
Matured green fruits gradually ripen in one month at room temperature. Frequent harvesting
sustains the production of more fruits. For immediate use, harvest the fruits at breaker pink
stage. These will fully ripen within three days at ambient temperature but can be slowed when
stored in a refrigerated condition.
Reference:
Production and Management of tomato. July 7, 2008. Open Academy for Philippine
Agriculture. http://www.openacademy.ph/
 

TECHNOLOGY OPTION 1
Seedbed Preparation

1. Make seedbed 50 cm apart with any convenient length in an area fully exposed to sunlight
2. Pulverize the soil thoroughly and add compost or dried animal manure at the rate of 5 kg
per sq meter.
3. Sterilize the soil by burning rice straw or rice hull on top of the seedbed for 4-5 hours to
kill soil-bon pathogens.
4. Drench the seedbed with fungicide-insecticide solution.
5. To protect the seedlings from heavy rains, place plastic roofing.

Sowing

1. Wet the seedbed thoroughly before sowing.

2. Make horizontal rows 5cm apart.
3. Sow 80-100 seeds in every 50 cm row (150-200 g of seeds are needed per hectare).
4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and place rice straw mulch.
5. Water the seedbed daily (seedlings start to emerge 3-6 days from sowing).

Care of Seedlings

1. 3-5 days fater germination, prick the seedlings by transferring them into a tray or seedbox
to allow more space between seedlings and prevent damping-off. In the absence of
seedling tray or seedbox, use paper pots (rolled), “lukong” or rolled banana leaves, and
plastic bags.
 2. Plant the seedlings in a soil mixture consisting of garden soil, compost (or well
decomposed animal manure, and rice hull in a 2:3:1 ratio). If possible, sterilize the soil
mixture by baking or through steam.
3. Drench the newly pricked seedlings with fungicide solution to prevent damping-off. If
insect appears, spray the seedlings with appropriate insecticide.
4. For large scale production, use seedbed. In this case, pricking is not done. Instead,
thinning is done to allow more space between seedlings.
5. A week after pricking or thinning, apply starter solution (2 tbsp Ammonium Phosphate (16-
20-0) or 14-14-14 dissolved in 1 gal water).
6. A foliar fertilizer may also be used.
7. 1 week before transplanting, harden the seedlings by gradually reducing the amount and
frequency of watering until the seedlings experience temporary wilting.

Land Preparation

1. Plow and harrow the soil twice.

2. Make furrows distanced at 0.75-1 meter for determinate and semi-determinate varieties
and 1.5 m for indeterminate varieties.
3. Place 500g compost or dried manure per hill if the soil is not fertile.

Transplanting

1. Select healthy seedlings with 3-5 leaves 3-4 weeks after seedling emergence.
2. Transplant 2-3 seedlings per hill spaced 40 cm apart.
3. Transplant in the afternoon.
4. Press the soil gently around the base of the seedlings.
5. Water immediately.
6. Replant missing hills 5-7 days after transplanting.

Trellising

1. Trellising is recommended in growing semi-determinate and indeterminate varieties.

2. Use bamboo or ipil-ipil poles as post.
3. Tie the branches to the post and train the vines using plastic straw.

Nutrient Management

1. 1-2 days before planting, apply 20 g 14-14-14 per hill and mix it thoroughly with the soil.
2. 3-4 weeks after transplanting, mix 2 parts of Urea (46-0-0) with 1 part Muriate of Potash
(0-0-60) and apply 1 tbsp (10g) of the mixture 6-8cm away from the base of the plants in
bands (first sidedressing).
3. Apply another 1 tbsp of the mixed fertilizer two weeks later (second sidedressing).
Water Management

Depending on the weather and soil, water the plants once a week until early fruiting stage.
Pest Management
Pest

1. Use Trichogramma chilonis or botanical insecticides like native hot pepper.

2. Use insecticide only if necessary.

Diseases

1. If the disease is caused by a fungus, spray with fungicide and remove the damaged leaves.
2. If the disease is caused by a virus and bacteria, pull-out, bury or burn the whole plant
immediately to prevent its spread to other healthy plants

Weeding

1. Remove the weeds near the base of the plants before the first sidedressing.
2. Off-bar and hill-up the soil to prevent the weeds.
3. Mulch with rice straw during dry season. For large plantation, mulch with black plastic.
Mulching also conserves soil moisture.

Harvest Management

1. Harvest mature green or pink-blushed fruits early in the morning

2. Place the harvest in bamboo crates lined with banana leaves or used newspaper to prevent
mechanical damage to the fruits.
3. Avoid over- or under- packing.
4. Remove bruised and damaged fruits.
5. Pack together fruits with similar maturity in one container.

Seed Production
Harvesting

Harvest fruits that have reddish streaks to fully red ripe stage.
Seed Processing

1. Cut fruits in half and squeeze out the seed with the juice into a container. Allow mixture
to ferment 1-2 days or easier removal of mucilaginous seed coat.
2. Dip a fine-holed strainer and rub seeds gently into the strainer to remove the coating.
3. Put the seeds in a pail of water to allow immature seeds to float. Discard water together
with the floated seeds leaving the good seeds that settled at the bottom of the pail.
Repeat the procedure until no floats can be found.
 4. Put seeds in a net bag and air dry them for 2-3 days before sun drying for 4-5 days.
Increase the sun drying time as the seeds dry. For oven drying, dry seeds initially to no
more than 30°C, and increase it to 40°C as the seeds dry.
5. For dry sealed packaging, dry the seeds to 8% moisture content.

Packaging

1. Dry seed absorb moisture from the air. Use moisture resistant packaging materials such as
thick polyethylene plastic, aluminum foil, tin cans, or glass jars. Seal well.
2. Seeds can be packed in paper packets but must be placed in large tin cans or wide-mouth
glass jars with desiccants (charcoal, silica gel, calcium chloride, quick lime, or wood ash)
at the bottom.
3. Cover tightly.

Storage

Keep seeds away from moisture and high temperature. The cooler and drier the area, the longer
the life of the seeds.
Proper Handling

Tomato is a perishable crop which deteriorates rapidly if not properly handled. Some tips to
preserve the freshness and lengthen the storage life of the fruits are as follows:

a. Harvest fruits at the right stage of maturity. If intended for fresh market and long distance
shipment, harvest at the mature-green stage; for processing purposes, harvest at the red-
ripe stage.
REASON: Harvesting of immature fruits results in irregularly ripened and poor quality fruits
while picking beyond the optimum stage of maturity renders them unsuitable for long-
distance shipment.

b. Pick tomatoes during the cooler times of the day, usually at dawn. If it is necessary to
harvest up to noon time, keep the harvested fruits in a shaded area soon after picking.
REASON: During this time, temperature is low thus, metabolic processes are slowed down.
At noon time, the temperature is high and exposure of the fruits to the sun will increase
fruit temperature which hastens weight loss and ripening.

c. Avoid harvesting during rainy days.

REASON: Rain water accumulated on the stems favors growth and development of disease-
causing microorganisms.
d. Avoid wounding the fruit when harvesting.
REASON: Injuries incurred during harvesting serve as avenue for entry of microorganisms,
hasten water loss and speed up the ripening process.

e. Avoid dropping the fruits into the harvesting containers or when transferring them to the
collecting crates.
REASON: Impact bruises on the commodity can result in non-visible symptoms of
deterioration manifested internally as brown to black discoloration in the seed area.

f. Avoid over and under packing; allow enough spaces after shaking the containers.
REASON: Over-filled or loosely-packed containers will have a high percentage of injured
fruits.

g. Line the crates with newspaper or thin pin-pricked polyethylene bag.

REASON: Liners protect the fruits from mechanical injury while pin-pricked polyethylene
bags regulate ripening.

h. Pack only clean, disease-, insect- and injury-free tomatoes.

REASON: Diseased fruits may infect sound ones while injured commodities are readily
infected and ripen faster.

i. Have a uniform stage of ripeness within the pack.

REASON: Ripening fruits produce ethylene which causes faster ripening of green ones.

j. Use crates with smooth inner sides.

REASON: Rough inner sides cause bruising of fruits during transport.
 k. Arrange containers with enough spaces to allow air circulation during transport.
REASON: Free air circulation will prevent over-heating and will also allow free gas
exchange between the commodity and the environment.

l. Be careful when loading and unloading the containers.

REASON: Careless loading and unloading aggravate compression and abrasion damage.

m. Store ripe fruits separately from unripe ones.

REASON: Ripe fruits give off ethylene which hastens the ripening of unripe ones.

n. Delay the ripening of green-mature fruits by keeping them in pin-pricked, (0.05 mm)
polyethylene bags for six days at ambient condition.
REASON: The high carbon dioxide and low oxygen inside the polyethylene bag delay
ripening.

o. Store green-mature fruits (in small amounts) in moist sawdust.

REASON: The high relative humidity and relatively low temperature attained with sawdust
storage minimize weight loss.

References:
Fliers. Tomato. September 2008. Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines, Los
Baños, Laguna.

Package of Technology of Different Vegetable Crops: Technology Generation and Dissemination for
the Growth and Development of Vegetable Industry.2005.DA-RFU 4A& Bureau of Agricultural
Research, Diliman Quezon City.