Farming guide on Ansal F1 tomato and its varieties, Hybrids and all care needed

ANSAL is a tomato hybrid that is elongated, square, and round. It is best suited for open field environments. Growers benefit from ANSAL in terms of overall fruit quality, disease package, extended shelf life, and plant yield.
 

Another tomato variety produced by Bayer East Africa and marketed under the Seminis brand is Ansal F1.
Ansal F1 has long been a favorite hybrid tomato variety among Kenyan farmers and sellers.

So, what distinguishes this breed? In this article, we will look at the characteristics of this breed.

Tomato variety Ansal f1

To begin, Ansal F1 is a determined breed.

It produces strong, vigorous plants with dense foliage, which reduces the risk of sunburn. This makes the breed suitable for the open field in a variety of climatic conditions.

This variety produces oval, elongated, firm fruits that ripen evenly.

Furthermore, when fully ripe, the fruits are a deep red color.

Ansal F1 nursery management

Ansal F1 tomato seeds grow well in both seed beds and nursery trays.

If you choose the seedbed method, plant your seeds about 1 cm deep in the soil and cover them with a light layer of dirt.

When it comes to spacing, make sure the seeds are well separated to allow for easier uprooting during transplanting. When it comes to row spacing, 15 cm will suffice.

Make sure to water the seedlings more frequently as well. This is because they are more vulnerable to harsh conditions, especially if the weather is hot.

Ansal F1 tomato seedlings being transplanted

Ansal F1 tomato seedlings are ready for transplanting in about 25 days. Most are 8 to 10 cm long and have 5 to 7 fruits at this time.
If you intend to prune your tomato plants to 3 to 5 stems, a spacing of 3090 cm is adequate.

If, on the other hand, you intend to let the plant grow wild, a spacing of 4590 cm is required.  

Given this, the recommended rate per acre ranges from 15gms (4590 cm spacing) to 20g (3090 cm spacing). This equates to approximately 4,000 to 4,500 Ansal F1 tomato seedlings per acre.

Ansal F1 tomato yields and production

Ansal F1 produces 6 to 8 flower nodes per cluster under good agronomic practices, with the average fruit weighing between 100g and 150g.

As a farmer, you can expect to begin harvesting your tomato fruits 75 days after transplanting.

As a result, the breed has an average yield potential of 25 to 35 tonnes per acre.

Shelf life of Ansal F1

Ansal F1 tomato fruits typically have a shelf life of 21 to 28 days.

This makes them popular not only with customers and sellers who are assured that the fruits will not spoil soon, but also with farmers.

Ansal F1 farmers are confident that they can transport the fruits for long distances to market without causing damage or spoilage due to their long shelf life and firm fruits.

Disease tolerance in Ansal F1

Ansal F1 tomato seeds, like most Bayer East Africa seeds, are resistant to a variety of diseases, including:

• Fusarium wilt
• Verticillium wilt
• Bacterial wilt
• Tomato spotted wilt
• Bacterial canker
• Tomato mosaic virus
• Root-knot nematodes
• Tomato yellow leaf curl virus.

Furthermore, Ansal F1 tomato plants are resistant to both early and late blight, bacterial spot, and bacterial spec.

This makes it even more appealing to farmers who are struggling to combat blight and related diseases.

Ansal F1 trellising/staking

It is recommended that you begin staking your Ansal tomatoes at week 4 after transplanting for the best results.

Make certain that each stem is securely fastened to a strong support.

You will also need to re-adjust the staking at least once a week.

This is due to the fact that tomato plants grow quickly, and if staking is not readjusted weekly, the plant may end up falling off, making it susceptible to soil-borne diseases.

Worse, the stem may completely separate from the stem.

Ansal F1 tomato plants reach a height of 4 to 5 feet on average.

Keeping this in mind, make sure your staking can accommodate this height - 5 12 to 6 foot poles will suffice.

Prices for Ansal F1 seeds

If you buy them as seedlings (trays), each seedling costs between Ksh. 5 and Ksh. 6.

The average retail price for the seeds, on the other hand, is as follows:

• 1,000 seeds – Ksh. 1,800
• 5 grams – Ksh. 3,800
• 10 grams – Ksh. 7,500
• 25 grams – Ksh. 17,500
• 50 grams – Ksh. 33,500

Questions and Answers about the Ansal F1 tomato variety

What is the Ansal F1 maturity period?

Ansal F1, like most hybrid tomatoes, matures in 70 to 80 days and the first fruits are ready for harvesting.

Because it is a determinate breed, harvesting will last 8 to 12 weeks, depending on how well you feed the plant.

How much yield does the Ansal tomato variety produce per acre?
If you properly feed your Ansal plants, you can expect to harvest between 25 and 35 tonnes of fruits per acre in a single season.

What is the weight of Ansal f1 fruit?

If you feed your plants properly, the fruits should weigh between 100 and 150 gms.

Conclusion

The Ansal f1 tomato variety is one of the most popular among Kenyan tomato farmers.

This is due to the breed's resistance to the majority of soil-borne diseases that afflict Kenyan farms, including wilting.

Ansal f1 is also resistant to early and late blight, as well as fruit cracking.