In all countries of the world, there are different fruits, vegetables and flowers called seasonal fruits, seasonal vegetables or seasonal flowers. There are also grains of different seasons. That is, different varieties of these crops are harvested in each season.
However, in the innovative research of the agricultural scientists of Bangladesh, the meaning of the word 'season' seems to be getting dimmer. They are inventing summer varieties of winter crops by applying various methods and technologies including hybridization, tissue culture or genetic modification. They are also inventing winter varieties of summer crops.
Tomatoes, for example, have always been considered a winter crop. People wait all year for winter to come and to taste juicy tomatoes. But scientists at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) have invented the summer variety of this winter tomato named Bari Hybrid Tomato-8. It is also being cultivated at farmer level in Kishoreganj for last two years.
The yield of this tomato is quite good. The color and taste of tomatoes is also quite interesting. It is being planted in different areas of Kishoreganj with the encouragement of Kishoreganj Agricultural Research Sub-Center Senior Scientific Officer Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin.
Last year, four farmers Ramzan Ali, Lutfar Rahman, Helal Mia and Shahid Mia of Rahimpur village in Sahedal union of Hossainpur upazila planted Bari hybrid-8 variety of tomato on 40 decimal of the land and got good yield this time as well.
This time BM Mamun Majid, a farmer from Changsolakia village of Sadar upazila, has also planted Bari Tomato-8 on 10 decimal of land. The land is full of tomatoes. Recently, BADC (Marketing) Deputy Director Humayun Kabir and Kishoreganj Agricultural Research Sub-Center Senior Scientific Officer Muhammad Mohiuddin visited Mamun Majid's land and expressed satisfaction over the red tomato yield.
Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin said that all-round supervision and advice is being given by the Sarajamin Research Center. Farmers are getting good yield by cultivating accordingly. He said that after sowing tomato seeds in the seedbed in April-June, 8-10 day old seedlings have to be picked up and lightly planted in the second seedbed. From there, 25-30 day old saplings are picked and planted in soil at a distance of 60 cm from one another to a distance of 40 cm.
The land requires application of 20kg cowdung, 730g TSP, 370g MOP, 380g gypsum, 50g zinc sulphate and 30g boric acid per decimal. The TSP has to be applied in three installments of 270 grams. It takes 100 to 120 days from sowing to harvesting tomatoes. Each tree bears 40 to 45 fleshy tomatoes. Each weighs 60 to 65 grams.
Yield per hectare is 35 to 40 metric tons. These tomatoes are flattened round and have a reddish shell and shell. It is also very tasty to eat. Dr. Mohiuddin said that farmers can benefit financially by planting this vitamin-C rich tomato in summer.
