Tomatoes, or tomatoes, are one of the most popular crops in agriculture. When growing requires a special approach to the root system of tomatoes. This plant has unique characteristics that allow you to increase productivity. The root system of tomatoes, its types, types, functions and features will be discussed in the article.
general characteristics
Tomato, or tomato, is a perennial or annual plant that belongs to the nightshade family. It should be noted that both names of this plant are true and equal, despite the fact that they have completely different etymologies. The word "tomato" originated from the Italian pomo d oro, which in translation means "golden apple".
Tomato is the name given to the plant by the Aztecs; it is also found in early French dictionaries. They are cultivated as a vegetable crop and used in the food industry. The plant is inherently rather unusual, has beneficial fruits, and its cultivation is widespread throughout the world.
Root type
The root system of tomatoes has a pivotal type, with numerous branches. The roots go into the ground to a depth of more than one meter. The radius of their distribution underground reaches 2.5 meters. In comfortable conditions, the roots are formed absolutely on any vegetative parts of the tomato. It is for this reason that this culture is planted with seeds, cuttings, and also with the help of "stepsons" (side shoots). If you put a fresh tomato stalk in water, after two or three days new roots form on it.
An interesting fact is that from a botanical point of view, tomato fruits are berries, despite the fact that in most countries around the world they are considered vegetable fruits. A long-standing dispute over this issue ended with the verdict of the US Supreme Court, which recognized the tomato plant as a vegetable crop. This was due to the fact that tomatoes are served for dinner, and not as a dessert dish.
Description
As mentioned earlier, tomatoes are a culture that is very widespread throughout the world. Typically, tomatoes have an upright or lodging stem, depending on its variety.
In height, this culture grows from 30 cm to 3 meters. Tomato leaves have a plate characteristic of all plants in the nightshade family. The leaf plate itself is quite large, and has a dissection into symmetrical lobes (potato type).
On the stem of the tomato small yellow flowers are formed, collected in a brush. This happens fast enough. For the most part, tomato varieties are optional self-pollinators, that is, the plant contains male and female organs. Basically, there are only three varieties of tomatoes. It all depends on the characteristics of the stem:
- Punched - having a short and rather thick stem with a special corrugated surface.
- Non-standard - also called ordinary, in which the stems lie down during the formation of the fetus.
- Potato - have a specific shape of the leaf plate, which is very similar to potato.
Features of the root system of tomatoes of different species are somewhat different from each other. These plants also have a separation by growth force.
Growth Features
Each variety has its own distinctive characteristics:
- Indeterminate (tall) are varieties that grow while they have room to grow. These representatives under comfortable greenhouse conditions can reach a height of up to three meters or will grow until the stems begin to rest against the roof of the greenhouse.
- Determinant (undersized, bush) varieties, unlike the previous ones, do not grow much in height. They form a limited number of tomato and brush inflorescences, usually four to eight, and then stop growing.
- Semidedeterminant - these are middle varieties between determinant and indeterminate. They enclose all the advantages of these two varieties - this is growth and a rich harvest.
- Superdeterminant - these are varieties that give an early and good harvest at a low height of the tomato bush.
There is also a separate species - a tomato tree, which has its own characteristics. This hybrid gives a very good crop, while having its own specifics of growing.
Seed formation
From seeds that are small in size and gray-yellow in color, the root system of the tomato is formed. Seeds remain viable for up to eight years. Physiologically, they become quite mature, while still inside the fetus. Under favorable conditions, a comfortable temperature and a sufficient supply of light, the seeds are able to give the first seedlings after three to four days. The first leaf is formed about a week after the first shoots, and, after another six or seven days, up to ten leaf plates develop.
On average, it takes about six days to develop one true leaf. After a few weeks, side shoots, the so-called stepsons, grow back. The growth period from planting to fruiting is about 70 days, given the early maturity of the varieties.
It should be noted that not all tomato seeds have the ability to germinate equally in all regions, so it is necessary to carefully select the seed.
Types of roots and types of root systems
The root system of any plant is a combination of absolutely all roots, as well as their processes and all additional elements. They are necessary for nutrition, the transfer of all useful elements found in soil, additives and water. The function of the root system of the tomato also includes fixing the plant itself in the ground, which, in fact, is a kind of foundation.
In nature, there are two types of root system:
- The core, in which there is a central root, capable of producing a small number of adnexa and lateral processes.
- Fibrous, which does not have a main root, but at the same time adnexal and lateral are very well developed. Externally, such a system resembles a kind of beam.
It should be noted that all tomato varieties have an exclusively rooted root system, which is a peculiar feature of this plant. As mentioned earlier, the root can go into the ground to a depth of more than one meter.
In the event that the seedling method is used, tomato roots most often develop mainly in the upper layers of the soil. When planting a plant by seed in open soil, only the main root rapidly grows in depth.
There is such a misconception that tomatoes can have not only a rod, but also a fibrous root system. However, it should be clarified that artificial pinching, which allows other roots to form, is just one of the agricultural techniques used in growing tomatoes.
Formation
Having considered the types of roots and types of root systems, it is necessary to pay attention to their formation. In relation to the roots, a certain effect is often used to accelerate the development and growth of the plant.
You need to know that if the main root of the tomato is damaged, it will stop growing vertically and begin to form a large number of lateral and accessory processes. Most often they are located in the fertile soil layer, because of which they absorb nutrients and water from the soil faster than usual.
For the correct formation of the root system of tomatoes, it is also necessary to pay close attention to the soil itself, especially if plants are grown in a greenhouse.
Topping
To accelerate the development of the root system and, accordingly, quickly obtain a crop, two methods are used - pinching and pinching. When applying such an agrotechnical technique as pinching, the growth of the main shoot is artificially limited.
It is worth paying attention that the top of the shoot needs to be pinched (removed) only after the top flowers of the plant have opened. After pinching over the inflorescence itself, it is necessary to leave one or two leaves, since they supply the fruits of tomato with nutrients. It is also necessary to carry out the treatment of plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, to reduce the risk of infection with various infections.
The stalk of a tomato forms roots at any period of its growth. Therefore, during the active stage, it is recommended to sprinkle the lower part of the plant with soil rich in nutrients. Due to this, the area of the root system will increase, and it will become similar to the fibrous, but will not be such in fact.
Stepson
This is an agricultural technique in which side shoots, called stepsons, are removed. The need for pinching is due to a number of reasons.
- Firstly, due to the fact that the tomato is a heat-loving crop, since it comes from South America. In this regard, it is necessary to adjust the load on the bush so that it can develop well, given our climatic conditions.
- Secondly, in the presence of a large number of "stepsons", and as a result of which leaves, the root system is not able to provide the upper part of the plant with enough nutrition for development. For this reason, some leaves turn yellow and die before the due date.
- Thirdly, a large number of leaves thickens the entire landing. For this reason, the plant receives less light, air and heat, which leads to a decrease in the level of development, and in some cases to diseases and death.
It is for these reasons that tomatoes step in, which gives the plant good growth and development, as well as a rich harvest.
Tomatoes are a very popular, healthy and tasty product. Thanks to its remarkable qualities, people like it so much. Today it is difficult to imagine a festive table without a tomato salad or a second course with a sauce prepared using tomato. This vegetable is deservedly popular, delighting a person with its excellent taste.