© Tierra Seed Science 2012 A Presentation on Country Report Tomatoes in India – Successes & Challenges Surinder K Tikoo ASRT 2014 Bangalore, Sep 9 – 10, 2014
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Tomato Production & Productivity in India Mean yields ?? Are gains of research not uniformly spread or is data capture faulty? Best growers have adopted better technologies Key gains have been multiple disease resistance, segmentation & a vastly extended sowing window 2 Gap 3 Gap 2 Gap 1 Source for India & FAO data –Tech Bull-51,IIVR, Vanitha, S.M., S.N.S. Chaurasia, P.M. Singh and Prakash S. Naik Vegetable Statistics.Technical Bulletin No. 51, IIVR, Varanasi, pp Source for High India & Best-world – S.K.Tikoo, personal experience
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Best Yields & % Contribution of research areas - a view from 60’s to 2030’s 3 From Eye Breeding to Designer Breeding From Low input to high input agronomy
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Success Factors F1 hybrids reaching approx. 70 % of market Multiple disease resistant hybrids ( V, F2, T, TLCV, TMV) & BW Has extended the sowing window Firm fruits - Long distance transportability & better prices Fruit Quality- stable fruit size, shape over harvests & no cracking Improved heat tolerance in some hybrids Molecular breeding as tool almost a routine in successful programs Improved Agronomy Market segmentation 4
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Challenges -1 Stable resistance to TLCV & BW TOSPO (GBNV) resistance Foliar disease resistance - EB, LB Heat & cold tolerance > Sowing Window WUE & FUE 5
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Heat Tolerance in Tomato – Challenge remains Day & night temp of 38/26 Best fruit sets – 25% to 35% vs 5% Pollen viability 87% to 91% vs 12% Fruit size & yields reduced
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Challenges -2 Protected cultivation - Suitable hybrids Increasing average yields Reducing postharvest losses (23% today) Reduction in seed production costs 7
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 How to meet the challenges Harness the power of wild species Widen reach of technology Reduce post harvest losses PPP projects through consortiums 8
© Tierra Seed Science 2012 Thank You 9