15kgs per Tomato Plant

A Marketing Strategy or an Achievable Goal?

We had an agronomist who would tell us that we were not worthy of some seeds. He'd say we were not worthy of seeds that scientists had used 10 years to develop because we butchered them with ignorance and poor management...

Oops.

So, maybe I have let the cat out of the bag early – that seed yield targets are not just suggestions. You can hit them with good management.

If, however, you want to learn the specifics of what it takes to hit and exceed these seed targets, read on.

The goal of the farmer is to make sure that the yield is as close to or surpasses the yield target by the manufacturer.

If a tomato variety says fruiting is in 75 days, then it is your job as the farmer to make it so.

So, how does a tomato farmer produce 15kgs per plant as indicated in a seed variety label?

1.    Excellent seedling

The seedling is of the right variety.

The root system is adequately developed.

The seedling is of the right height, age and weight.

The seedling is without any pest, disease or mechanical damage.

2.    Nutrition

The right fertiliser since day 1.

A bit of expertise and experience is necessary.

You do not feed your baby when they begin to show signs of malnutrition. Same case with these plants. A farmer has a regimented feeding program that is followed to the letter.

Regular monitoring to look out for signs of deficiency. For instance, iron deficiency does not necessarily mean your fertiliser does not have enough iron.

The feeding program also incorporates foliar fertilisers to boost the quantities that are taken from the roots.

P.S. Roots are designed to take up plant nutrients. Foliar fertilisers can never replace nutrition from the roots.

3.    Timely cultural practices

A farmer has a program for various cultural and management practices.

It can be designed as below.

A.   Feeding – Every 2 hours

B.   Pruning – Every Tuesday

C.   Scouting – Every Tuesday

D.   Harvesting – Every Tuesday and Thursday

E.    Cleaning the feeding tanks – every 2 weeks 

F.    Trellising – Every third Wednesday of the month

G.   Weeding (where necessary) – Every Second Wednesday

H.   Pest and disease management - A weekly spray for each.

Plants are living things. They like routine.

These cultural practices should be proactive. Never reactive.

It is tempting to wait until shoots are overgrown to trellis, but this will cost you. Every broken shoot sets you back at least 4kg of yield from that crop.

4.    High levels of hygiene

Restrict entry into your farm.

Wash hands with a disinfectant often.

Keep pests and diseases to the minimum levels possible.

Have specific clothes for the farm. These clothes are left at the farm. The aprons, gumboots and coveralls are kept clean.

Clean and disinfect tools used to prune or harvest. Clean knapsacks after every use. Wash and disinfect tanks and buckets regularly.

In case of a viral infection – bacterial wilt, tobacco mosaic virus etc. – uproot the affected plants as soon as they are infected. “Let me harvest this cluster first before uprooting” can cost you the entire farm.

In conclusion, it is possible to hit yield targets as set by seed manufacturers.

This requires proactive farming in the following areas:

1.    Seedling acquisition

2.    Nutrients and fertiliser programs

3.    Timely cultural and management practices.

4.    Maintaining the highest levels of sanitation and hygiene.  

In the next season, why don't you go ahead and develop a comprehensive nutrition, spray and cultural practices program and see the difference?