KARACHI: The International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), at the University of Karachi, has successfully produced a foreign variety of tomatoes known as cherry tomatoes.

The large-scale production of the tomato variety was carried out at the ICCBS greenhouses, the centre’s director, Professor Dr. Iqbal Choudhary said on Tuesday.

Choudhry added that it is for the first time in the country’s history that the cherry tomatoes have been produced using state-of-the-art plant technology.

The tomatoes had been under cultivation for the last two years and while some were produced last year, this is the first time a large-scale production has been made possible.

The seeds of cherry tomato were initially taken from Canada and germinated at the biotechnology wing of the university, the professor said. The plant was grown in greenhouses for the initial adaptation where environmental conditions were comparatively controlled.

After a successful first cultivation from seeds, disease-free and healthy plants are propagated at mass-scale using plant tissue culture techniques and cutting techniques and the newly propagated plants are allowed to grow for fruiting in a system where they are able to utilise the maximum light, humidity and nutrients.

Using state-of-the-art techniques, a cherry tomato growing facility had been under development at the ICCBS greenhouses since last year.

A handful of plants will produce a large volume of the small tomatoes, especially once cultivation really thrives in the hot summer months, Choudhry added.

The mass scale production is in a successful progress and soon will be introduced for marketing as a new variety of tomato and its plants will be made available for local farmers for cultivation in mass scale. —APPLINK