Creating grafted tomatoes with disease resistance

The creation of grafted tomatoes to combat bacterial wilt has won one of the first four prizes of the National Technical Innovation Contest for the eighth time. The award ceremony was held on the evening of January 19 in Hanoi.

With this project, Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia that has successfully researched and successfully applied tomato seedlings to prevent bacterial wilt (HRVK). Due to not using chemicals, the measures are very safe for people and the environment.

Dr. Ngo Quang Vinh (middle) with his partner Ngo Xuan Chinh and Khuong Nhu Steel.The eighth National Technical Innovation Contest (2004-2005) has 618 entries, including 4 first prizes, 10 second prizes, 15 third prizes and 27 consolation prizes

Creativity

HRVK is a rapidly spreading disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. They make tomatoes withered and the mortality rate is usually 20-30%, sometimes up to 100%.

Meanwhile, there is no effective preventive medicine in the world. The best solution is to combine tomato tops on eggplant or tomato roots with disease resistance. Japan, Taiwan, and Korea are the countries that have grown so many grafted tomatoes.

Since the end of 2002, the research team led by Dr Ngo Quang Vinh of the Southern Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology studied the above direction. By 2004, they found Restovina-1 to be a suitable tomato variety. When grafted on Restovina-1, the Trang Nong tomato variety (NT386) has both HRVK resistance and 20-50% higher yield.

In addition, the authors have researched and successfully produced grafting tubes with self-destructing rubber, low cost. The tube fits well with the grafted tomato plant, with the appropriate softness to tighten the graft. As a result, the proportion of trees living in nurseries and in the field is higher.

On the basis of the farmers' existing hatcheries, the group has also successfully adapted and applied moisture, heat and light suitable for successful large-scale grafting. While in Japan, plants must be maintained in special cabinets after transplanting.

High efficiency

So far, there have been 30 established grafting farms and grafted tomato plants have been widely cultivated in Lam Dong, with an area of ​​over 1,500 ha. On average, 1 ha of grafted tomatoes here help farmers increase their income by 35 million compared to non-grafted trees.

Grafted tomato fields in Don Duong, Lam Dong

According to Dr Vinh, where the tomato is grown, it is also possible to grow grafted tomatoes. This technological advance is particularly useful for growing tomatoes during the rainy season (a very heavy HRVK season) and intensive tomatoes, creating a stable source of supplies for processing plants.

Not only contribute to environmental protection and increase income, technology also helps create more jobs for local people. It is known that each transplant farm in Lam Dong currently employs about 30 employees, with an income of nearly 800,000 / month per person.

Minh Son