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Name: ............................

Subject: Agricultural Science

Teachers name: .....................

Form: .........................

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(I)Introduction

Name of project: The Production of Tomatoes

Location: ST Clair Dacon Secondary School

Duration: 10-14weeks

Description of activitiesSketch layout of activities

Drain

35cm

Walk way 60cm walk way

Drain

Description: clearing of the land was done. Lines were set from one end to another.The construction of drains and bed were done, at a length of 38ft and and a width of 5ft.Fertilizer (NPK) was in corporated into the soil. The bed was watered and holes weredug about 1 inch deep and 38 cm between plants and 60cm between rows. Seedlingswere transplanted from the seed trays to the holes which was covered with soil and

watered.

Materials: Lines, seed, Fertilizer (NPK), Insecticides (Diazioan) and weed control(Gramoxone).

Equipment: cutlass, hoe, wheel borrow, hand scoop ,watering cans ,stick and hand fork

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Week one (1): Land Preparation of beds

Date: 15/01/09

Clearing, ploughing and construction of drains

Week two (2): Construction of drains and bed

Date: 20/01/09

Week three (3): Seedlings transplanted.

Date: 20/01/09

How: Removed plants from tray, dug holes, placed plants in the holes and applied

pesticide (Diazioan)

Week four (4): watered seedlings

Date: 29/01/0912/05/09 (Daily activity)

Week five (5) Application of Fertilizer to the planting seed

Date: 03/02/09

Week six (6): Daily observation

Date: 19/02/09

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Week seven (7) Weed bed, Pruning and Staking

pruning: 25/02/09 and 11/03/09

Staking: 28/02/09and 10/03/09

Weeding: 28/02/09, 10/03/09 and 20/04/09

Week eight (8) Application of Fertilizer to the planting

Date:25/04/09

Week nine (9)weeding and watering

Date:30/04/09

Week ten (10)water

Date:05/04/09

Week eleven (11) Harvesting and Marketing

Date:08 /04/09

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Land Preparation

The location where land preparations were to be situated was very bushy. A cutlass was

used to clear the high grass. The grass was taken away in a wheel burrow and was

disposed of .The rake was used to get rid of roots left behind by plants. The soil was

then softened with a fork; the soil was very turgid. A hoe was used to form the bed and

construct a drainage path for water during torrential rainfall to help prevent erosion.

Transplanted tomato seedlings.

The tomato seedlings were in a tray containing many plants, but before they could be

planted in the bed, the bed was to be properly prepared meaning; it was soaked with

water from watering cans and ploughed to specification. A hand scoop was used to dig

five (5) holes for the seedlings to be placed in, measured one hand fork or scoop apart.

One tomato seedling was placed in each hole with soil covering its roots. After

transplanting the plants were sprayed with an insecticide called malathion which was

mixed with water in watering cans to prevent pest and insects from destroying the

young seedlings.

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A picture showing a tomato seedling in a tray

NB: The number of tomato seedlings to be planted on the bed was planted according to

the size of the bed which was measured by using hand forks.

Watering tomato plants

This was a daily activity which was very important. It was so important that it had to

be done every day except on rainy days.

Water was taken to the field via watering cans which were filled from a nearby tap.

When watering the plants, the cans were to be a certain height level from the plant to

prevent the plant from being damaged. When the soil seemed soaked a stick was used to

turn the soil (plough) so that the water can pass though the soil.

NB: most tomatoes from other beds died as a result of water logging where by too

much water was given to the plant.

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Daily Observations

This was done from the day of transplanting until the day of harvesting, monitoring the

plant for an update on their conditionsmeaning noticing if the plant is suffering from

any disease, making note of changes happening to the plant, when certain processes

were to be taken place e.g. pruning, and make records of stolen produce.

NB: observations were not done on weekends.

Application of Fertilizer

This activity was to apply fertilizer (NPK) to the tomato plants. The band application

method was done in applying fertilizer to the tomato plants.

Weed bed, pruning and staking

Weeding was done due to the extensive amount of grass growing upon the bed

throughout the past weeks. This was done manically by the use of hands and sometimes

a hand fork to prevent the bed from being overcrowded with weeds. After this was done

thetomato plants were pruned, meaning the tomato suckers, or side shoots, that appears

in the crotch between the stem and a branch were removed. If left to grow, they will

become another main stem with branches, flowers, fruit and more suckers of their own.

Harvesting and Marketing

Harvesting was done in preparations for marketing. Most of the tomatoes in the field

were ripe. The ripe and half ripe tomatoes were picked by the stalk, washed and bagged

then were taken away in boxes for sale.

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(ii) Completebudget

Projected income

Projected Expenditure

Item Quantity Unit Cost Total

Seed 25 $0.10c $22.50

Fertilizer(NPK) 18lbs $3.00 $54.00

Insecticides

(Malathion)

tsp $5.00 $2.50

Water 20 g $10.00 $10.00

Labour 2 days $10.00 $20.00

Bags lb $12.00 $3.00

Transportation 3 trips $15.00 $45.00

Herbicide

(Gramoxine)

tsp $10.00 $5.00

Total $162.00

Projected income: $300.00

Projected expenditure: $162.00

Projected surplus PI PE =$138(surplus)

Crop No of plants No of

Fruits

Per lb

Unit Cost Total Cost

Tomato 15 75 $4.00 per

lb

$300.00

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(iii) Actualncome and

expenditure

Actual income

Actual expenditure

Item Quantity Unit Cost Total

Seed 25 $0.80c $2.50

Fertilizer(NPK) 18lbs $2.50 $20.00

Insecticides(Malathion)

tsp $21.00 $3.72

Water 20 g $10.00 $10.00

Labour 2 days $10.00 $20.00

Bags lb $10.00 $10.00

Transportation 3 trips $15.00 $45.00

Herbicide

(Gramoxine)

tsp $48.00 $3.57

Total $114.57

Actual income: $400.00

Actual expenditure: =$114.57

Actual surplus AIAE = $285.43

Crop No of plants No of

Fruits

Per lb

Unit Cost Total Cost

Tomato 18 80 $5.00 per lb $400.00

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(iv) Analysis

1. Projected income was $300 and the actual income was $400 by $1002. Actual expenditure was less then the projected expenditure by $ 47.433. Projected surplus was less than the Actual surplus by $52.57

General Comments

Two major problems were encountered throughout this project, that of spoilage of the

tomato fruits and theft of these fruits by individuals.

Conclusion

The project was a successful one due to the amount of fruits produced and the profit

made.

Recommendations

The area should be fenced to prevent the entrance of thieves. Fertilizer(NPK) application must be done frequently for the plants to grow Seedlings need to be transplanted in favorable weather conditions Insecticides(Diazinon) should be applied more frequently to protect the plants

from insects and pests.

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