Quick stats
| Family | Solanaceae |
|---|---|
| Typical harvest | 36.7 t/ha |
| Varieties | 3 |
| Pests & diseases | 6 |
| Seasons | 4 |
Crop profile
| Growth habit | annual |
|---|---|
| Days to harvest | 110 |
| Main uses | Fresh market (sliced, salads, cooking), sauces, paste, juice and dried tomato pieces. |
| Pollination | self |
| Origin / where it grows | Tomato (nyanya) is widely grown in warm to moderately cool areas in East Africa under rainfed and irrigation, especially around towns and irrigation schemes. |
Weather, soil & spacing
| Best temperature | 18–28 °C |
|---|---|
| Rainfall | 700–1000 mm/yr |
| Altitude | 0–2200 m |
| Best pH | 6–6.8 |
| Soil type | Deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam with plenty of organic matter. Tomato (nyanya) prefers fertile, well-aerated soils. |
| Row spacing | 75 cm |
| Plant spacing | 45 cm |
| Planting depth | 2 cm |
| Seed rate | 0.3 kg/ha |
| Nursery days | 28 |
Simple notes for farmers
About the crop: This crop is annual. You plant, grow and harvest it in one main season, then plant again. You can normally start harvesting about 110 days after planting, depending on care and variety.
Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for fresh market (sliced, salads, cooking), sauces, paste, juice and dried tomato pieces..
Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by self. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.
Where it grows: Tomato (nyanya) is widely grown in warm to moderately cool areas in East Africa under rainfed and irrigation, especially around towns and irrigation schemes. It is grouped under: Vegetables.
Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 700 to 1000 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 2200 metres above sea level.
Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 6.8. It does well in deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam with plenty of organic matter. tomato (nyanya) prefers fertile, well-aerated soils.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.
Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 75 centimetres apart, and leave about 45 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.
Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 2 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.
Seed or planting material: Use around 0.3 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.
Nursery period: If you raise seedlings in a nursery, keep them there for about 28 days before transplanting to the main field, when they are strong and healthy.
Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)
Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)
| # | Stage | DAP | Product | Rate | Targets (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basal at transplanting | 0 | NPK 17-17-17 or 15-15-15 | 250 kg/ha | N: 42, P₂O₅: 42, K₂O: 42 | Band 5–8 cm away from Tomato (nyanya) seedlings and cover with soil. |
| 2 | Early topdress | 21 | CAN 26% N or urea (in cool conditions) | 100 kg/ha | N: 26, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0 | Apply along the rows of Tomato (nyanya) when soil is moist, then water or lightly cultivate. |
| 3 | Fruiting topdress (N+K) | 40 | NPK high in K (e.g. 15-5-30) or urea + SOP/MOP | 150 kg/ha | N: 30, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 45 | Focus on potassium for strong, firm fruits and better shelf life. |
Nutrient requirements
| Nutrient | Stage | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Basal | 60 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Basal | 60 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Basal | 60 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress_early | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Topdress_early | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Topdress_early | 40 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress_fruiting | 30 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Topdress_fruiting | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Topdress_fruiting | 60 | kg/ha |
| Name | Country | Maturity | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Tomato (nyanya) for open field | KE | 100 | High yield, firm fruits and good transport quality. |
| Roma / processing type | KE | 95 | Plum-shaped fruits, good for sauces and paste, relatively firm. |
| Local open-pollinated Tomato (nyanya) | KE | 110 | Good taste but lower yield and shorter shelf life than hybrids. |
| Stage | Product | Rate (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basal | NPK 17-17-17 or 15-15-15 | 250 | Applied at transplanting to support early Tomato (nyanya) growth. |
| Topdress (N source) | CAN 26% N or urea | 100 | Use CAN where soils are more acidic or where conditions are dry. |
| Topdress (K source) | Sulfate of potash (SOP) or K-rich NPK | 100 | Supports fruit size, colour and firmness of Tomato (nyanya). |
| Organic | Well-rotted farmyard manure or compost | 8000 | Apply before transplanting to improve soil structure and water-holding capacity. |
| Name | Type | Symptoms | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) | pest | White or brown tunnels in Tomato (nyanya) leaves, stems and fruits; dry patches and premature drying of leaves. | Use pheromone traps, remove infested leaves and fruits, and follow an IPM programme with safe insecticides where necessa... |
| African bollworm / fruit worm | pest | Holes in fruits and flowers of Tomato (nyanya), with caterpillars and droppings inside. | Scout flowers and fruits regularly and control early with recommended products or biocontrol options. |
| Aphids and whiteflies | pest | Clusters of small insects on shoots and leaf undersides, sticky honeydew and sooty mould; can transmit viruses. | Use yellow sticky traps, remove heavily infested shoots, protect natural enemies and spray only when needed. |
| Early blight | disease | Brown spots with concentric rings on older leaves of Tomato (nyanya), leading to leaf drop from the bottom upwards. | Use crop rotation, avoid overhead irrigation in the evening and apply protectant fungicides where disease pressure is hi... |
| Late blight | disease | Water-soaked patches on leaves, stems and fruits that turn brown/black rapidly, especially in cool, wet weather. | Plant in well-aerated fields, avoid dense canopies and follow a preventive fungicide spray programme during wet periods. |
| Bacterial wilt | disease | Sudden wilting of Tomato (nyanya) plants with green leaves, brown staining in stems and milky ooze from cut stems. | Avoid infested fields, rotate for several years with cereals and use tolerant rootstocks or varieties where available. |
| System | Typical | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open field Tomato (nyanya), low input | 10 | 5 | 15 | Local seed or saved seed, little fertilizer and limited pest/disease control. |
| Open field, improved management | 30 | 20 | 40 | Hybrid seed, staking, recommended fertilizer and regular pest and disease control. |
| Irrigated / greenhouse Tomato (nyanya) | 70 | 50 | 90 | Protected or high-input systems with drip, fertigation and strong crop protection. |
| Country | Region | Planting | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| KE | Irrigated river valleys and schemes | All year (with good water) | 2–3 months after transplanting, for several pickings |
| KE | Mid-altitude rainfed Tomato (nyanya) areas (long rains) | Mar–Apr | Jun–Aug |
| KE | Short-rains Tomato (nyanya) season | Oct–Nov | Jan–Mar |
| TZ | Irrigated and peri-urban Tomato belts | Most months, depending on water and disease risk | 2–3 months after transplanting over several weeks |
| Country | Region | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Irrigation schemes and river valleys | High |
| KE | Peri-urban vegetable belts around major towns | High |
| KE | Very hot, dry lowlands without irrigation | Low |
| TZ | Northern and central Tomato (nyanya) producing areas | High |
| UG | Mid-altitude vegetable-growing zones | High |