New Webcast Explains Evolution of Tomato Production Practices in California

Tomato production in California has evolved substantially since the 1980s. The shift from field seeding to the use of greenhouse-grown transplants is central to this transformation and has increased production costs, overall yield, and the number of varieties grown today.

 

Providing an overview of this evolution is a new educational presentation from the Plant Management Network (PMN) entitled “Processing Tomato Production: Seed Sector and Propagation in California." The webcast was developed by Gene Miyao, a Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension for Yolo–Solano–Sacramento Counties, and is now available as part of the Focus on Tomato resource for growers, crop consultants, and extension agents.

 

The presentation describes why tomato growers have widely adopted transplanting methods and illustrates how the changes have significantly impacted fertilization, planting, and irrigation practices as well as raised production and labor costs. Viewers will gain a better understanding how current standard practices in California may influence future trends involving:

 

· Fertilization practices

· Planting automation

· Characteristics selection

· Tolerance and pest resistance

·  Harvest disturbance

 

The 14-minute presentation is freely available in the Focus on Tomato webcast resource through May 2016.

 

The Plant Management Network is a nonprofit publisher of applied, science-based resources that help enhance the health, management, and production of agricultural and horticultural crops. Partnering with over 80 universities, nonprofits, and agribusinesses, PMN provides materials covering a wide range of crops and contemporary issues through the online PMN Education Center.

 

 

Source: Plant Management Network