
Tree tomato
Resource by Plusfarm
The
tamarillo is a small tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae
(the nightshade family). It is best known as the
species that bears the tamarillo, an egg-shaped edible fruit.
Fast-growing, brittle tree; shallow-rooted; reaching 10 to 18 ft (3-5.5 m) in height; rarely as much as 25 ft (7.5 m). The leaves are muskily odorous, evergreen, alternate, more or less heart-shaped at the base, ovate, pointed at the apex, 4 to 13 1/2 in (10-35 cm) long and 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (4-12 cm) broad, thin, softly hairy, with conspicuous coarse veins.
Borne in
small, loose clusters near the branch tips, the fragrant flowers, 1/2 to 3/4 in
(1.25-2 cm) wide, have 5 pale-pink or lavender, pointed lobes, 5 prominent
yellow stamens, and green-purple calyx. The long-stalked, pendent fruit, borne
singly, or in clusters of 3 to 12, is smooth, egg-shaped but pointed at both
ends and capped with the persistent conical calyx.
Varieties
VARIETY |
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
|
Gold-Mine |
Are very large
golden-yellow fruit with golden, highly flavored flesh, less bland than Solid
Gold, but not acidic. |
Inca Red |
A yellow-fruited
cultivar is said to be less acidic than the red types. When cooked the fruit is said to resemble the apricot in flavor. |
Rothamer |
Skin is
bright red. Flesh golden-yellow, flavor sweet and exotic |
Solid gold |
It’s a large, oval
shaped fruit. Skin is golden-orange in color, soft, less acidic in flavor |
Red
Oratia |
It is a
large-fruited red cultivar, oval to round in shape, with a sharp acid flavor. |
Ruby Red |
It’s a large, brilliant
red fruit. Its Pulp dark red, tart, and flavorful |
Plusfarm
Kenya Feeding Africa
Sustainably |
Cultivation
Ecological requirements The tree tomato
tamarillo also needs placement in full sun, though in hotter climates it can be planted in areas with partial shade. Due to the shallow root system of these trees, adequate wind protection may also be necessary, such as near the house. While they can be propagated by seed, cuttings are preferable with seedlings planted once they reach about 5 inches (12 cm.) tall. The spacing of
additional plants are 6-10 feet (2-3 m.) apart The tree tomato
prefers subtropical climate, they grow in many parts of Kenya with rainfall
between 600 and 4000 millimeters and annual temperatures between 15 and 25
°C. It is intolerant to frost (below -2 °C) and drought stress. |
Soil requirement Tree tomato plants grow best in light, deep, fertile soils, however, soils must be permeable since the plants are not tolerant to water-logging. They grow well on soils with a pH of 5 to 7.5. The soils should be well-aerated soil. The soil must be fertile and light in texture and rich in organic matter. Good drainage is necessary since waterlogged soils can kill the plants. Tree tomatoes cannot survive in areas with a prolonged drought. They must have ample water during the dry season. |
Planting & Management During the
planting stage dig holes measuring1.5 feet deep put the top soil on one side and the subsoil on the other. The distance from one plant to the next should be 1metre feet and the space between one row and the next should be 2 meters. Mix one and a
half wheelbarrow of well-prepared compost manure with two spadefuls of
topsoil to plant the seedlings. Leave a shallow depression in every plant for
placing the mulching material - only 1 foot of the tree tomato seedling
should be buried while planting just enough to cover the root hairs.
Selection of planting site is key; tree tomatoes do well when planted on land
that has not had any crop for two or three seasons. |
Pests and Diseases / Commonly Used Agrochemicals
Disease and Symptoms | Active Ingredient | Commonly Used Agrochemicals |
Damping off and Root Rot Wilting and stunted growth. Brown foliage | metalaxyl-M, mancozeb Mancozeb + Cymoxanil | RIDOMIL GOLD® MZ 68WG Mistress |
Anthracnose Circular black or brown sunken lesions on fruit Wet centers of lesions become purplish colored due to a mass of fungal spores. | Azoxystrobin and Difenoconazole. Mancozeb + Cymoxanil | AMISTAR TOP® 325SC |
Bacterial wilt Circular black or brown sunken lesions When wet the centers of lesions become purplish colored due to a mass of fungal spores. Water-soaked sunken lesions | Acibenzolar-S-Methyl (50.0% Methyl bromide, 1,3-dichloropropene, or metam sodium with chloropicrin | ACTIGARD 50WG Soil fumigants |
Bacterial canker Scabby canker spots on the fruits. Local lesions on fruits, stems and leaves, does not induce systemic infection on the plant. | Copper Oxychloride 500g/Kg | GREENCOP 500WP. |
Bacterial soft Rot Internal tissue of the fruit softens, turns into a watery mass and produces a foul smell. | Copper oxychloride Immunomodulator | Sulcop 50DF Enrich BM |
Powdery mildew Whitish talcum-like powdery growth on the upper leaf surface Severely infected parts become chlorotic and eventually die. Stunted growth is evident. | Difenoconazole Azoxystrobin Carbendazim + Triadimefon Azoxystrobin 250g/L | Domain 25% EC Milestone 250SC Ransom 600WP |
Phytophthora blight Foliar blight, fruit rot, and root rot spreads very fast when humidity and temperature are high. In severe cases, wilting occurs and the crop dies within a few days. | Dimethomorph + Mancozeb | ACROBAT MZ Wettable Powder Dimethomorph 90g/Kg + Mancozeb |
Fusarium wilt Vein clearing on young leaves and dropping of older lower leaves. Turn yellow and wilt. Brownish vascular tissues | Prochloraz Carbendazim | PEARL 20ml/20ltr. |
Blossom End Rot Affects the end of the fruit which starts with softening, slight shriveling, browning, blackening with increased shriveling, and sometimes secondary decay. | calcium | Use calcium containing fertilizer AMIRAN CALMAG |
PLUSFARM KENYA Feeding Africa Sustainably |
Pest and Symptoms | Active Ingredient | Commonly used Agrochemicals |
Aphids Causes leaves to yellow and distorted, necrotic spots on leaves and stunted shoots; Presence of honeydew which encourages the growth of sooty mold on the plants. | Azadirachtin | ACHOOK 0.15% EC Emulsifiable Concentrate; FORTUNE AZA 1,000 ppm; NEEMARK EC 0.03%; NEEMRAJ SUPER – 3000 0.3%; NIMBECIDINE Emulsifiable Concentrate 0.03%; OZONEEM 1% EC |
Cutworms Stems of young transplants or seedlings may be severed at soil line; presence of leaf pieces partly pulled down into the soil and plants fall over | Carbaryl | HYCARB 85 WP Wettable powder; SEVIN 85 S Wettable powder |
Whiteflies Whiteflies excrete honeydew, a clear, sugary liquid. This honeydew covers the lower leaves and supports the growth of black sooty mold, which may coat the entire plant. | Deltamethrin Thiacloprid Bifenthrin 25g/L | ATOM 2.5EC Emulsifiable Concentrate; DECIS 0.5 ULV Ultra-Low volume; DECIS 2.5 EC (Emulsifiable Concentrate); F CALYPSO SC 480 Suspension Concentrate BIFERAN 25 EC |
Nematodes damage to the roots, leading even to the death of rootstocks of Solanaceae fruit crops | Fosthiazate 150g/l | NEMATHORIN® 150EC |
Flea beetle Chewing damage on leaves results in a characteristic pitting or shot-holing. When leaves of host plants are waxy and thick | ACTELLIC 25 EC | Pirimiphos-Methyl |
Leaf miner mines are usually partially filled with frass and are irregular in shape. Tissue death (necrosis), during serious infestations, the leaves can become skeletonized. | Abamectin 18g/L | AVID 1.8 EC |
PLUSFARM KENYA Feeding Africa Sustainably |
Post Harvest
Tree tomato
bears fruits after 1.5 to 2 years. In favorable conditions, they grow very
quickly and take a lesser span of time. Your fruit grown in Kenya is ready for
harvest when they develop red or yellow color.
Harvest your
fruits by pulling them from shrubs with a snapping motion. This ensures that
the stalk remains attached. Unless you prune your tomato tree, they do not
mature simultaneously.
You can
refrigerate your tree tomatoes for up to 10 weeks. High temperatures can cause
the skin to discolor.