Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Black Tomato Planting and Cultivation Techniques

Black tomato is one of the tomato varieties, named for its rather unusual skin color, which appears black. Black tomato is a foreign variety, and its cultivation range in our country is not extensive at present, but because it contains nutrients that are highly beneficial to the human body, our country is preparing to begin planting it on a large scale.

Black Tomato Planting and Cultivation Techniques

1. Variety selection: Choose varieties with good quality, yield, disease resistance and stress resistance, such as Heifei 20, Dinis, Black Rose, etc.

2. Seedling raising: Black tomato seedlings can be raised entirely in the same way as ordinary tomatoes; it is best to use special vegetable seedling substrate, or you can mix your own; at emergence, control the daytime temperature at 25-28°C and the nighttime temperature at 18°C; after emergence, the temperature should be appropriately lowered by 3-5°C.

3. Planting method: Just like ordinary tomatoes, carry out land preparation and fertilization before transplanting, as well as vine hanging and pruning of side shoots after transplanting. In daily management, one point needs attention: black tomato has very strict requirements for soil moisture, especially during the full fruiting period when the water demand is large. Keep the soil moist, and remember not to let it alternate between dry and wet, otherwise the fruit is very likely to crack.

Field Management of Black Tomato

1. Pruning and shoot removal: For black tomato grown in the open field, keep the main stem in pruning, and below the first inflorescence remove shoots and keep only 1-2 side branches. Be careful to avoid pruning before rain, during rain, or when dew has not dried, to prevent disease infection. In the later growth stage, remove lower old leaves, diseased leaves and diseased fruit to facilitate ventilation and light penetration and reduce pest and disease damage.

2. Topdressing and irrigation: Once the plant enters the fruit-setting stage, it needs sufficient nutrients and water. Apply light fertilizer frequently in combination with irrigation to meet the needs of the rapid growth and development of the black tomato plant and fruit.

3. Preserving flowers and fruit: During the flowering period of black tomato, vibrate for pollination and you may use fruit-setting hormone, with the concentration controlled at 10mg/kg. During the flowering period, control irrigation and carry out foliar fertilizer spraying. For fertilizer and water management during the fruit ripening period, keep dry and wet uniform to prevent fruit cracking. Side shoots are very likely to develop in the leaf axils, so pruning must be done frequently and promptly.

Pest and Disease Control of Black Tomato

1. Black tomato late blight: Spray for application; you may choose 40% phosethyl-Al wettable powder 250 times solution, 58% metalaxyl mancozeb wettable powder 500 times solution, 64% oxadixyl-mancozeb wettable powder 500 times solution, 72% cymoxanil mancozeb (DuPont Curzate) wettable powder 800 times solution, 69% dimethomorph mancozeb wettable powder 1000 times solution.

2. Black tomato gray mold: For spraying, you may choose 50% procymidone wettable powder 2000 times solution; 50% iprodione wettable powder 1500 times solution; 60% thiophanate-methyl ultra-fine powder 600 times solution; 45% thiabendazole suspension concentrate 4000 times solution; 2% wuyimycin aqueous solution 150 times solution; 50% vinclozolin wettable powder 500 times solution, etc.

3. Black tomato viral disease: Before tomato seedling separation, transplanting, vine tying and shoot removal, first spray 1% soap water plus 0.2%-0.4% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 1:20-40 soybean milk or soybean milk powder to prevent contact infection. Spray NS-83 resistance inducer 100 times solution once each before and after transplanting, which can enhance tomato disease tolerance and also increase yield. At the same time, 20% virus A wettable powder 500 times solution can also be used for control.

4. Tomato physiological diseases: Do not transplant seedlings too densely and do not let growth be too luxuriant; for winter-spring crop cultivation, the seedling age should be no less than 60 days. Apply chemical fertilizer in appropriate amounts, with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers properly matched, avoid partial application of nitrogen fertilizer, and especially note not to apply excessive ammonia nitrogen fertilizer. Increase potassium fertilizer application, apply more decomposed organic fertilizer, improve soil physical properties, and enhance soil water retention, drainage capacity and permeability. Irrigate appropriately, do not irrigate too much at one time, and maintain suitable soil moisture. Pay attention to drainage after rain. After fruit setting, spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate and other compound micro-fertilizers every 15-20 days, for 2-3 consecutive applications.

Harvesting of Black Tomato

Open-field black tomato can be harvested successively about 60 days after transplanting. For storage or long-distance transport, it is best to harvest at the color-turning stage or semi-ripe stage. For fresh fruit on the market, it is best to harvest at the near-ripe stage. Timely early harvesting can increase early-stage yield and output value, and is also beneficial to the growth and development of the fruit on the upper flower clusters of the plant.

Regarding the planting method of black tomato, the main thing is to first understand its growth habits, choose a suitable and excellent variety, and then plant it. After planting, field management is also very important; timely topdressing and watering must all be done well. Pest and disease control for black tomato must also be strengthened; only in this way can its good growth be ensured.