Best of all, Fire Ball, Roma, Red Cloud, Desi Dixon, they may sound like the names of favorite race horses, but are not. In fact, these are some popular varieties of tomato, which is aptly termed 'the most popular vegetable fruit'.

Tomato is a well-known and very popular vegetable grown throughout India. It ranks as the world's largest vegetable crop after potato and sweet potato. Tomato tops the list of vegetables, which are canned. It is a versatile fruit-vegetable used in soups, salads, pickles, ketchups, and many other items apart from being used for making juice. Available in the market almost round the year, it is cooked as a vegetable by itself or with potatoes or greens; it is also eaten raw when ripe.

The origin of Tomato is traced to the Peruvian, Mexican regions. The Red Indians of Mexico are reported to have referred to it as "Tomat". While the Spanish explorers introduced tomato into 'Europe during the early sixteenth century and Portuguese brought it to India.

Tomato is essentially a warm season crop and cannot withstand severe degrees of frost. The crop fares well under average temperature of 21 C-23 C, It cannot be grown successfully in places with a high rainfall. Ideally, a rich, loamy soil, with some sand in the upper reaches good clay subsoil, for Tomato cultivation. A warm, sunny weather is a must for proper ripening, color development, quality and high yield. Nutritive value of the fruit is also known to be affected by temperature and light intensity.

The plant is usually transplanted. But when direct-seeded, the Tomato plant develops a deep-rooted system and will be drought resistant. A continuous supply of fruit can be maintained through a planned sowing schedule.

The stage of maturity at which Tomatoes are picked depends on the purpose for which they are grown. Proposed distance of transportation should also be considered while picking. Firm, mature, green fruits are picked for shipping. Fully ripe Tomatoes are selected for canning. Immature green, mature green, turning half ripe or pink or red ripe are the different stages when the fruit is picked.

The Tomato fruit varies much in shape. To some extent, genetic qualities influence the shape. Crop cultivation at higher temperatures, yields a high proportion of round fruit. A considerable proportion of fruit are rough, badly shaped when grown under relatively low temperatures. Generally, large the size of the fruit, greater is its tendency to attain a poor shape.

The crop has to be protected against a number of diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and some viruses. Yields reportedly vary from 16,000 to 24,000 kg, per hectare. Tomato is generally accepted as a nutritionally desirable food article. Its juice is recommended for children as a substitute for orange juice.

Tomato is a rich source of vitamins, particularly vitamin C. Normal processing does not seem to adversely affect its nutritive value particularly its vitamin C content. There do exist some beliefs associating Tomato with a variety of disease conditions including hypertension. But there is no scientific evidence to support them.

It is generally believed that Tomato consumption may result in the formation of bladder stones and that Tomato may not be suitable for those who suffer from a tendency to gout or uric acid diseases. Analysis of Tomato has shown that it contains around 4 mg. of oxalic acid per 100 gms. of fruit. In fact, it has been found that Tomato contains less pureness than do carrots, potatoes, cabbages and other vegetables and less oxalic acid than do beets, potatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. Oxalic acid is substance generally known to be associated with bladder stone formation.

Since Tomato is a fruit of good nutritive value, specially with regard to vitamins, and is easily available at a relatively low cost, its inclusion in the daily diet, particularly of young, growing children is very desirable and should be encouraged.