Tomato - the most common culture in the world. According to statistics, the last 3 years, the world production of tomatoes has reached 150-160 million tons and does not fall below this level. Tomato paste, juice, ketchup, salads, snacks - unlimited range of use of this useful vegetable. The tomato is so rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements that is one of the ten products in the world that are indispensable for the human body. In our article, we consider an interesting variety of Roma and give its characteristics and description.
Table of contents
Breeding history
Works of breeders around the world allow you to create varieties of different crops with a universal or, conversely, with a specific focus.
Roma tomatoes are a group of varieties of tomatoes, bred by American breeders. They have such universal qualities that they can be used in the range from whole canning to cooking thick tomato paste and ketchup.
Roma F1 and Roma VF tomatoes were bred in the 50s and are widely distributed in the USA, Mexico, Australia, and the UK.
Description of the variety and characteristics of tomato Roma
Roma tomato bushes - determinant, powerful, medium height - height reaches 60-70 cm. The best yield can be achieved when forming a bush in 1-2 stems.
Roma - mid-season hybrid, the period of full ripening of fruits from the moment of emergence until the fruits reach technical ripeness - 120-125 days. In the warm climate of the southern regions at ordinary temperatures, the crop has time to ripen in open ground or under temporary film shelter, in other regions - in greenhouses.
The fruits of the tomato variety Roma cylindrical plum shape (cream) with a pronounced sharp tip, red. The pulp is dense, meaty, good taste. Fruits are well transported, they retain their taste qualities for a long time, and they are not cracked during canning, they retain their taste and shape.
According to reviews of gardeners who grew this tomato, suitable for canning, long-term storage, freezing. Abroad from Roma tomatoes produce very tasty variety of pastes, sauces and ketchups, since this particular variety is very suitable for this.
The mass of fruits grown in the open field, fluctuates from 60 to 90gin greenhouses reaches 110g. The yield of the bush is quite high, but different sources give different indicators: from 6-8kg to 13-15kg per square meter.
Tomatoes of this variety react very badly to high humidity: flowering plants are practically not pollinated, and the risk of fungal diseases increases dramatically.
The advantages and disadvantages of the variety
So, to summarize all of the above. The obvious positive qualities of tomatoes Roma F1 and Roma VF include:
- determinant variety of bushes;
- prolonged fruiting;
- high yield;
- the universality of the use of fruits;
- good preservation for a long time;
- resistance to a certain range of diseases.
Among the shortcomings can be noted only:
- intolerance to high humidity and temperature changes;
- susceptibility to fungal diseases and late blight.
Agrotechnology: features of growing Roma tomatoes
The general agrotechnical scheme of growing tomatoes in this variety is no different from any other varieties of mid-season tomatoes.
Preparing and sowing seeds for seedlings produce in the second decade of March, two months before planting ready seedlings in the ground.
Seeds are treated with a solution of manganese, then wrapped in a damp cloth and hardened in a refrigerator for 2-3 days (t + 2). Without drying, they are buried in a previously prepared fertilized soil to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, lightly moistened, covered with foil and put in a warm, well-lit place until the first shoots.
Diving and pinching seedlings produce after the appearance of 2 true leaves. During the growth of seedlings need to monitor the maintenance of normal humidity, good and long light (14 hours per day). You can spend 1-2 feeding with an interval of 10-15 days complex fertilizers, boric acid solution.
One week before planting in open ground seedlings hardened - for several hours every day carried out on the street or in a cold room.
The soil for seedlings is prepared in advance, it must be well-fertilized and consist of 50% soil and 50% humus or peat.
Transplantation in open ground is made upon reaching the seedlings two months old (for all mid-ripening varieties), at least 20-25cm high and 8-10 true sheets are available, adhering to the scheme 70x40cm. After about 10 days, when the seedlings take root,You can spend the first feeding.
Since the bushes are deterministic type, they need form in 1-2 stems, be sure to tie to vertical trellis for sustainability, high yield.
Throughout the growth of bushes form a lot of lateral shoots, which also need to stepchild. Watering Roma tomatoes should be regular, not too plentiful and always warm water.
Disease and Prevention
Highly easily infected with blight and, as already mentioned, fungal bacteria. An excellent prevention of these diseases is spraying the stems, leaves and ovary with a solution of boric acid or other means.
Tomatoes of Roma F1 and Roma VF varieties have a lot of advantages: good taste, keeping quality, unpretentiousness, high yield, very beautiful aesthetic appearance of the fruit. The crop of culture will certainly please and reward for the efforts.