ABSTRACT
Tomatoes are grown around the world. In dollar value, tomatoes rank second, behind potatoes, among vegetables produced in the USA and income approaches a billion dollars per year. The tomato is a warm-season plant requiring a relatively long season for profitable yields. Tomatoes may be grown on many kinds of soils from light sands to heavy clays. When nutrient needs are met, tomato fruit yields exceeding 50 mt/ha are probable under favorable soil and climatic conditions with adequate pest control. Higher tomato plant populations are used when plants are trellised or staked than when they are grown on the ground, and higher rates of fertilization are required accordingly. Leading tomato producers are in the temperate regions. In the tropics, tomatoes are normally produced in mountain regions or in lowlands during cool seasons. Processing tomatoes require intensive management and involves short harvest times and long intervals between harvest. In temperate regions, the tomato plant responds to heavy rates of fertilization.
