Krishi Vigyan Kendra - Imphal West

Packages And Practices of Various Disciplines

An ideal crop for North Eastern Hill Region

Tree tomato

Introduction

Tree tomato (Cyphomandrabetaceasendt.) is one of the recent introductions to India but has gained popularity especially in the hilly religions of the Nilgiri and NEH ranges because of its perennial nature and off-season availability of fruits. The shallow rooted crop comes well in the hilly soils. In Manipur, it is available in wild state at hilly areas of Mao and parts of Ukhrul district. This can be grown in homestead areas for house consumption as well as for selling in the market, a potential income generated crop. The fruits can also be transported to the mainland market without much damage due to its firm flesh and tough rind/skin. Therefore it can fit well in the existing cropping agro forestry system practised in NEH Region.

The tree tomato and common tomato both belong to the same family i.e., Solanaceae. The plant is a small, half woody, attractive, fast growing, shallow roots and evergreen brittle tree. It grows normally up to a height of 5-6 metre. The leaves are alternate, more or less heart shaped at the base, ovate, pointed at the apex, 10-35 cm long and 4-12 cm broad, thin soft and hairy with conspicuous coarse veins. Flowers are borne in loose clusters near the branch tips .The long stalk, pendent fruit, egg-shaped but pointed at both ends and capped with the persistent conical calyx.

The size of the fruit varies from 5-10 cm long and 4-5 cm wide. Skin colour varies from deep purple, blood red, orange yellow to red yellow and may have faint dark, longitudinal stripes. Flesh colour varies accordingly from orange red or orange to yellow or cream yellow. The seeds are thin, nearly flat, circular, larger and harder than those of the normal tomato and distinctly bitter in taste. The fruit has a slightly resinous aroma having flavour like unripe tomato with resinous taste.

Uses

Uses are similar to common tomato. Eaten fresh and often boiled or pureed to flavour drinks. Fruits are highly attractive, have a high vitamin C content and limited storage life. Fruits are suitable for processing. It can be frozen or canned, can be puree, chutney, sauce, juice and in combination with milk such as yogurt. In addition to the fruits, tender leaves and shoots are also used as a green vegetable. The food value of the tree tomato fruit is as follows:

Food Value per 100g of Edible Portion

**Most of the ascorbic acid is lost in cooking.

Third year onwards, one can earn a handsome income of Rs. 50,000.00 to 60,000.00 per hectare per annum through the sale of fresh fruits. Processing of tree tomato into various products not only ensures higher income but also employment and nutritional security of the hill people.

Tree tomato pickle in oil

Ingredients

Method

1. Wash, wipe and cut tomato into small pieces.
2. Chop green chillies, garlic and ginger
3. Heat oil and pop the mustard seeds, then add green chilli, ginger and garlic and fry till brown.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, cloves, salt, chilly powder and powdered spices.
5. Stir till soft and when cool, bottle it and cover with oil and store.

Tree tomato ketchup

Ingredients:

Method

1. Select tart and fully ripe tomato.
2. Extract the juice by boiling, crushing and straining through a muslin cloth.
3. Use 1/3 of the sugar and heat the fruit juice.
4. In a muslin cloth, tie all the spices and immerse in the juice, squeezing out the flavour now and then.
5. Mix well and heat again for a minute or so and bring to boiling point.
6. Add the remaining sugar and salt and boil till the mixture become very thick.
7. Add acetic acid, cook for a minute.
8. In a little water dissolve the sodium benzoate and add to the product.
9. Fill in sterilized narrow mouthed bottle.
10. It has its distinct yellow colour.

Tree tomato jam

Ingredients

Method

1. Extract the pulp by boiling and squeezing out the juice.
2. Add sugar; keep for half an hour and cook.
3. When half done dissolve the citric acid in water and add to the product.
4. Keep cooking, simultaneously stirring till jam consistency is reached.