requires higher climate requirements. Generally, the entire tomato growth cycle spans 95-130 days. The germination period starts in March, followed by the seedling stage in April-May, flowering in June, and the harvest period beginning after fruiting in July, which typically lasts for three months. Tomatoes are easy to grow in most regions, have simple cultivation techniques, and high nutritional value, making them widely cultivated worldwide. However, this mainly applies to fresh consumption tomatoes. Processing tomatoes have higher temperature, humidity, and water and fertilizer requirements.
Temperature: Processing tomatoes prefer warm temperatures, with different growth stages having varying temperature requirements. The optimal temperature range for growth is 20-25°C. Temperatures below 15°C hinder flowering or result in poor pollination. Below 10°C, plant growth stops, and extended periods below 5°C can cause cold damage. Flowering and fruiting rates significantly decrease above 35°C. Processing tomatoes are classified as medium-day plants, meaning they have a broad range for sunlight duration. Around 16 hours of daily sunlight is ideal, with a total sunlight duration of 1100-1500 hours.
Water: Processing tomatoes have high soil moisture requirements during growth and development, along with lower relative humidity in the air. Soil moisture levels of 60-70% are suitable during the seedling stage, while 70-85% is ideal during the fruit enlargement period. Adequate irrigation is necessary to prevent flower and fruit drop and disease occurrence. With well-developed root systems, processing tomatoes have strong water absorption capabilities. However, excessive soil moisture before fruit set can lead to excessive vegetative growth, resulting in poor flower and fruit formation. After fruit set, rapid leaf and stem growth require sufficient water supply. Soil moisture should be maintained at 60-80% of the maximum water-holding capacity. Balanced water supply is essential to avoid root rot and seedling death caused by excessive moisture.
Soil and Nutrition: Processing tomatoes prefer deep, well-drained soils rich in organic matter without salinity or alkalinity. The regions capable of producing high-quality processing tomatoes are limited. Global production areas for processing tomatoes are mainly concentrated in semi-arid inland regions between 34-50 degrees latitude. The major regions with large-scale cultivation of processing tomatoes include California's Central Valley in the United States, Mediterranean coastal countries, as well as limited areas in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu in China. Processing tomatoes have a soluble solid content (the total compounds dissolved in water in fluid foods, including sugars, acids, vitamins, minerals, etc.) of around 5%, while regular consumption tomatoes typically have 1-2%. Therefore, the tomato processing industry primarily uses processing tomatoes as raw materials.
