Question :

Write a brief essay on Tomato Farming by using Organic Fertilizer, format is given please follow that only.

Answer :

A.Introduction

General Initiation of the crop: 

Tomato is contemplated as a crop grown during warm season. It stipulates a climate of warm and cool nature. The plants are not subjected to high humidity and frost. Another fact that explicates is that the intensity of light is an influencing factor for color of fruit, set of fruit and its pigmentation (Poudel, Horwath, Mitchell, & Temple, 2001). Thus, Tomato crops can be sensitive and vulnerable in diverse climatic conditions. There are segregated climatic ranges for the germination of the seed, growth of the seedling, fruit and flower set and lastly the quality of the fruit. Any temperature estimated to be above 38 degrees and below 10 degrees may affect the plant adversely due to the influence on the plant tissues and a de-accelerated growth of the physiological activities (Bogdanovic, Ilin, Cabilovski, Marijanusic, & Adamovic, 2014). The temperature range suitable for its growth is between 10 and 30 degrees with an ideal range of 21 to24 degrees of temperature. The temperatures at mean above 27 degrees and 16 degrees is inappropriate (Rossi et al., 2009). There cannot be a withstanding of the level of frost and demands a rainfall till medium range and is unsuitable for a highly moist conditions. However again a prolonged period of dryness and water stressing may cause fruits cracking. The sunshine of a considerable level during the fruit set time can facilitate to have the fruits turned to a dark red and the desired fruit color. 

Importance of the Tomato Crop:

The Tomato is a significant vegetable crop which has accomplished considerable significance as a part of a daily diet in the last century. It has grown substantially in the global front, be it in the net-houses, out-door fields or the green houses (Dorais & Pepin, 2011). The crop can be segregated into two segments tomatoes that are of fresh market which dominates in processing and that is grown in the outdoors and also which is harvested mechanically. As a significant source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A, Tomato crops has been significant in growth of bones, augmenting cell division, differentiation also facilitating in the immune system regulation. It has as well ensured maintenance of the respiratory, intestinal tracts and urinary system (Poudel, Horwath, Mitchell, & Temple, 2001). Vitamin C is significant in the collagen formation, protein structuring to bones, blood vessels, muscle and cartilage. Alongside, it as well helps for growing bones and teeth. A substantial anti-oxidant –Lycopene as a constituent of tomato can intercept growth of any carcinogen in body.

Farming Methods of Tomato:

Tomato Crops can be grown organically in green houses and inorganically in outdoor fields. The semi-determinate and determinate tomatoes along with the tomatoes of fresh market are grown in the outdoor fields with the bush tomatoes varieties of determinate (growing on ground excluding the method of staking and varieties of semi-determinate with the utilization of string and stake method. A semi-determinate method encompasses the utilization of the stakes of wood positioned inside the plants rows and has a number of string’s parallel places run to amidst stakes and new plant growth trapping amidst strings. The plants kept in the position upright intercepts the fruit from the ground touch (Zoebl;, 2002).

Determinate tomatoes necessitate very scarce care of the plant and has a predetermined cluster strength,that is not so augmented (Duuml rdane, Naif, Yusuf, Mine, & Perihan, 2011). Their growth is not of an elevated level and may have inputs that are as well low. Such crop kinds are commonly found in the countries that are developing with lower prices and where quality may not always be a deciding factor. For the growth of tomato crops organically, the soil texture, quality, nutrients levels like nitrogen, potassium, Magnesium, sodium and others like calcium can be critical factors. Pruning is a significant method adopted, while crop rotation is a predominant technique for soil maintenance in the growth of organic tomato crops. 

Aims and Scope:

The Report shall thus elucidate the growth of tomato crops using the organic farming methodology and importance of organic farming for the same.

Overall Ideas of the Report:

Organic fertilizers, its contribution in tomato crops and farming. Its impact in plant parts, production, maintenance, harvesting, soil quality and nutrients supply.

B. Discussion: Organic Fertilizers

Definition:

Organic Fertilizers are retrieved from the human excreta, animal matter/ vegetable matter. The organic fertilizers derived naturally encompass the wastes from animals like the peat (Garg, 2014), meat processing, guano, slurry and manure. Contrarily most fertilizers are utilized in the commercial farming and derived from minerals or industrially.

In contrast to the chemical fertilizers which are manufactured commercially, the organic fertilizers is usually composed of a single kind of ingredients and may be suitable to the needs of a garden’s specific nutrition (Döring, 2013). The kinds of organic fertilizers may be from animal/plant/ mineral resources, based on the kind of chemicals that a garden entails. However for qualifying as an organic based fertilizer, the constituents must be natural in nature.

Types :

There are varied number of organic fertilizers to use. They consists of:

1. Plant based fertilizers: It breaks down faster than other kinds of organic fertilizers. However, they mostly ensure more to condition the soil than the other nutrients. Such materials include compost and alfalfa meal etc. (Zoebl;, 2002). which gives drainage and power of moisture retention to the soils of poor quality with no water holding power. There are several kinds of plant based fertilizers like Legume cover crops, Molasses, Compost tea etc.
2. Animal based Organic fertilizers: It encompasses the blood meal, bone meal, manure that puts more nitrogen in soil. It is highly beneficial to the leafy plants and ensure strength in growth in the preliminary gardening weeks (Duuml rdane, Naif, Yusuf, Mine, & Perihan, 2011). Some animal based fertilizers additionally used includes the Fish emulsion, urea. Milk and also the Manure tea.
3. Mineral-based fertilizers: These ensure adding nutrients to the composition of soil along with the lowering or raising of pH level if required for the growth of healthy plant. Types of Mineral based fertilizers include Calcium and Magnesium.

Advantages of Organic Fertilizers:

1. Organic Fertilizers encompass other than phosphor and nitrogen other minerals that also ensure advantageous for the growth of Plankton (Forman & Silverstein, 2012).
2. Organic Fertilizers is advantageous on the pond bottom. The quality of adsorption is leveraged or is made greater than the capacity of the potential buffer, thus enhancing the microflora. Yet, an augment in bacteria is helpful of the ration of C:N is lesser than 30. However if the case is not as such, nitrogen components may be used by the bacteria from the column of water for the growth to persist (Garg, 2014).
3. There is a considerable level of fat, fiber and protein in organic fertilizers. The particles of fertilizer used along with bacteria may be utilized straightly as food by the species.
4. As organic fertilizers float the, phosphor loss is diminished. 5. With the help of organic fertilizers, a waste product can be re-cycled that would have otherwise not been used.

Disadvantages:

1. As Organic fertilizers are composed of myriad constituents, the fertilizers procedures and their standardization becomes tough (Glaser, Wiedner, Seelig, Schmidt, & Gerber, 2014). It is because they also accompany with substantial levels of phosphor and constraints like arrival of blue green algae and benthic.
2. There should be a decomposition of organic fertilizers whose action can be considerably lesser which may further augment the risk losses.
3. Organic fertilizers often trigger the growth of bacteria especially with the high level of oxygen demand. An excessive level of fertilizer consumption may lead to depletion of oxygen and increase the mortality rate of the crops.
4. It may as well elevate the chances of infections in plants.
5. The quantity of organic fertilizers may leverage the high cost of labour and the cost of transportation (Gagnon & Berrouard, 1994).

C. Critique Analysis