Tropical and subtropical vegetables (2+1)

Seed production

• For seed production, it is essential to produce a healthy crop and plant should be true to type. It is essential to maintain isolation distance of 50-100 m with other varieties. Crop should be inspected the off type and diseased plants are removed. Natural cross pollination is 3.84per cent alternate rows of 60 cm and 1.74 per cent in 240 cm distance in autumn crop. Usually these following methods have been employed to extract seeds from the slimy mass of tomato.

Fermentation method:
Ripe fruits are crushed in non metallic box by hand. No fruit juice should be allowed to drain out. Entire mass is kept for 24-72 hours depending upon high and low temperature. Seed will settle down at bottom. Remove fermented mass and clean the seed 8-10 times in clean water then dried in shade.

Alkali treatment method:
Fruit is cut into halves and scoop out the slimy mass containing seed. Treat with 300 g washing soda in 4 litre of boiling water in equal volume. When mixture is cooled down allow to stand overnight. Next day seeds are washed thoroughly and allowed to dry.

Acid treatment method:
Slimy mass treated with hydrochloric acid @ 75 ml per 12 kg of mass. Seeds are separated from slimy mass within 15 to 30 minutes. The acidified liquid is then decanted /removed and seed is separated and dried in shade. In this method seed germination is affected.