Successful Tomato Farming in Zambia

Farming is an important venture that many of us need to go into in order to feed our families and meet the high demand on the market as one or two farmers cannot meet the demand of the local and export market.

His Excellency President Hakahinde Hichilema through the ministry of agriculture has assured farmers that the exports markets won’t be closed. Therefore, it will be wise that many people be it old or young, male or female get on board and start farming to meet the demand in the coming days.

Below is a simple tomato production guide under irrigation, as water is everything in tomato in order to have good quality and better yields.

Land preparation

If the land you intend to plant tomato was previously planted with maize or tomatoes, chances are high that it could be infested with rootknot nematodes. If this is the case you will need to treat the soil with cabofuran, phorate or oxamyl before transplanting the tomato. Use a rate of 3g per planting station, ensure the chemical does not touch the seedling.

Planting

For 1ha a plant population of 15,000 to 18,000 will be required.

Spacing

Between plants 30cm – 40cm

Between lines (Ridges) 100cm – 150cm

Transplant late in the afternoons when there is enough moisture. Irrigate immediately thereafter for at least a week. (Rains can takeover if it’s during rainy season). Place staking poles in the rows 2 weeks after transplanting.

Fertilization

In every transplanting hole add 10g (or bottle top lid full) of D-Compound. Cover lightly with soil before putting in the plant. Ensure the plant does not come into direct contact with the fertilizer. One week after transplanting, apply WVC or MAP fertilizer into a hole near the base of every plant.

• Week 0 - 7 apply WVC 20kg/ha, MOP 150kg/ha, Magnesium sulphate 30kg/ha.
• Week 7 -13 apply MAP 200kg/ha, Potassium sulphate 200g/ha, Magnesium sulphate 30kg/ha.
• Week 13 - 25 apply Calcium nitrate 200kg/ha, Potassium sulphate 200g/ha, Magnesium sulphate 30kg/ha.

Please note that this is a guide for an average yield. But if you can afford, spray foliar ferts every week such as omex bio-boost, it supplements the micro-nutrient requirements of the crop.

Chemical Preventive Spray

One week after transplanting begin Copper Oxychloride sprays 60g of copper in a knapsack sprayer twice a week, for the first two weeks. In the third week, start mixing Copper with Mancozeb at 60g Copper + 60g Mancozeb, spray this mixture twice a week for two weeks.

In the fifth week drop the Copper and only remain with the Mancozeb but increase the dose to 1kg in 200L of water (or 100g in a 20L sprayer).

Disease Management

When you notice Early blight disease (Brown and black patches with concentric ring pattern on older leaves surrounded by yellowing of the leaf tissue) add Maxgarde (or any suitable Triazole fungicide) at 50ml in 20L of water, this can be purchased from all Agricrop Services outlets.

When attacked by Late blight (“Black spot”), add 70g Metalaxyl to 20L water as it will help prevent and control the disease.

Note: Spraying must be done thoroughly. The plants must be completely wetted. Do not spray when it is raining or about to rain. Ensure that plants are always covered in chemical throughout the growing period i.e. always spray after a heavy down pour (but make sure the leaves do not have water on them at time of spraying). This applies during rainy season and it’s important that to every spray you add a sticker (which prevents wash off).

Insect Management

To all the sprays mentioned above and at all times ensure an insecticide is added. You can use Lamthrin @ 20ml in every spray regardless of the chemical being sprayed. This will take care of caterpillar-like insects as well as adult moths. Every 5^th day, spray Imidacloprid or Abamectin for Aphid, White flies and Leaf-miner control. Spray these chemicals interchangeably i.e. if you spray one this week, after 5 days use another one with a different active ingredient.

For Tuta absoluta (an advanced version of the leaf miner, the damage is more pronounced and can cause total crop failure because of low photosynthesis as a result of loss of chlorophyll on the leaves). Use of Elufen will control the insect.

All the above chemicals can be purchased from all Agricrop Services outlets.

- Agronomist H. Kanyimbo                                     

Contact +260-975-683867 for all your crop protection inquiries.