- Fresh Market Tomato Production
Trends in North Carolina
- By Randy Gardner
North Carolina State University
- North Carolina growers produce approximately 2,500 acres of stake, vine-ripe tomatoes each summer. Combined production in the adjacent mountain areas of eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia and Alabama probably equals or exceeds that in North Carolina. Although much of the production in North Carolina is concentrated in the mountains of western North Carolina (late July - early October harvest), early season plantings for June-July harvest are important in Piedmont and eastern North Carolina. Limited plantings are also made for late season harvest (September - October) in the Piedmont and eastern areas.
Most growers produce their own transplants in greenhouses or have them grown locally in greenhouses on a custom basis. Cell size for transplants ranges from 1 1/2 inches to four inches, with the larger cells being used to produce very early tomatoes (June and early July) for a premium in the local market.
Determinate varieties from the North Carolina breeding program, primarily Mountain Spring for early season and Mountain Fresh for mid and late season, are grown. During recent years there has been significant production of Florida 47 and increasing production of Floralina. The heat tolerant variety, Sun Leaper, is being used for late season production in the Piedmont and eastern areas. Limited production of cherry, yellow and plum (Roma) types occurs throughout the state. Primary varieties are Mountain Belle, Carolina Gold and Plum Dandy.
Most growers fumigate their soil with methyl bromide/chloropicrin (MC-33) and use plastic-covered beds with drip irrigation. Between-row spacings are usually five to six feet with in-row spacings of 18-24 inches and stakes between every two plants. A one-time pruning is done when suckers are four to six inches long. Severity of pruning depends on variety and in-row spacing. For Mountain Spring and Floralina two to three suckers are left below the first flower cluster and for more vigorous varieties, such as Mountain Fresh and Sun Leaper, one sucker is usually left below the first flower cluster.
Early blight is prevalent every year, and for the past 10 years late blight has been a problem. Most growers spray on a five-day schedule for control of fungal diseases. Bacterial diseases (canker, speck and spot) can occur, and growers use copper formulations in early season for control. Unless bacterial diseases are a problem, most growers stop copper sprays a week or two prior to first harvest because of the possible adverse effects of copper on fruit finish. Fusarium wilt race 3 is an increasing problem in the area, and growers with this disease are using the resistant hybrid Floralina. Tomato spotted wilt virus has increased in severity in recent years and is becoming a significant problem in the area.
Almost all of the tomatoes produced in North Carolina and northern Georgia and Alabama are harvested vine-ripe at the breaker to light pink color stages are placed, packed in two layer, 20-pound boxes or in 25-pound boxes. Eastern Tennessee has a significant acreage of tomatoes produced for mature green harvest in addition to vine-ripe production. At one time, most of the tomatoes were packed in larger packinghouses (co-ops or private packers doing custom packs). In recent years there has been a strong trend toward growers packing their own fruit, either in small packing operation or doing field packs. This trend has occurred because of increases in packing charges coupled with competition of low-priced tomatoes (primarily from California and the Baja area of Mexico) in many seasons. Tomatoes are shipped throughout the eastern United States, with much fruit going to more northern areas before those areas have local fruit and to Florida during their summer off-season period. Growth of production is limited by lack of land for expansion in the mountains and by competition from other production areas of the United States and Mexico, which reduces profitability.
