The
purpose of this guide book is to empower farmers in technical and managerial
competencies for tree tomato agribusiness.Email yagrein@gmail.com to order your copy.
Tree tomato is quite different from most
fruits trees because it is not seasonal and can grow and bear fruit all the
year round generating sustainable income for the farmer.A
single tree grown in fertile soil can bear about 20-30 kg of fruit per year. This gives a return of at least 20,000kgs of fruit
sold at approximate price of Ksh 50kg=Ksh 1,000,000/ acre. Fully
grown tree tomato fruit weighs about 60 grams.
Modern farming requires informed decisions making
and practice of knowledge based technology driven farming. Moreover,
the ever increasing population continuously reduces the sizes of land available
for farming. Small pieces of farming land require application of innovative
technologies to sustain farm profitability.
Furthermore the current impacts of
climate change and global warming have more than ever adversely affected farm
productivity. Frequent rain failure and uncertainty is a common scenario today.
In view of all this, Agriculture information is very important for success in
agribusiness. The information in this book mainly targets farmers who are on
transit from traditional farming to agribusiness, agropreneurs, young farmers, aspiring
farmers, organizations and institutions that deal with farmers. This tree tomato farmer’s guide covers
the common varieties, climatic requirements, propagation, nutrient management,
pruning, irrigation, mulching, pest and disease management, harvesting, value
addition and marketing.
Tree
tomatoes are small attractive half woody and evergreen shrubs. They are also
called tamarillo
or matunda ya damu (in Swahili language). They belong to
solanaceae family together with Irish potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and pepper. Tree
tomato crossbreeds with plants in the same family. However the resulting fruits
will be sterile and in some instances inedible. The plants are adaptable, easy
to grow and fairly resistant to diseases. The fruits are egg shaped and pointed
at both ends. The skin colour may be blood red, deep purple, orange or yellow
depending on the variety. Red tree tomato fruits are more common and marketable
than yellow and purple varieties. The tree has a shallow root system, can be
damaged by strong winds and is not tolerant to drought conditions.
The
shrubs are fast growing and can develop to a height of up to 5 meters. The tree
ordinarily forms a single upright trunk with lateral branches. The leaves are
large, evergreen, heart-shaped, and hairy and perennial with a strong pungent smell.
The cut section appears similar to that of in tomatoes. The flesh is juicy,
deep in color, sweet yet sharp, tasty, filled with numerous small flat circular
edible seeds. Soil fertility plays a crucial role in tree tomato production. Organically grown fruits have
better market demand. Organic farming is challenging for beginners but the
farmers can strive to master the practice gradually due to its benefits. If you
have to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, get expert advice in order to
observe recommended application rates.
