OPTIMIZING THE SOWING WINDOW FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION. A GLOBAL REVIEW OF WEATHER INTERACTIONS, VARIETAL RESPONSES, AND AGRONOMIC OUTCOMES

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is highly sensitive to temperature, radiation, and humidity, making the sowing window a decisive factor in determining its growth, phenology, yield, and quality. This review systematically synthesizes global evidence from 138 studies published between 2000 and 2024, examining how different sowing dates interact with weather, genotype, and management practices. Early or optimally timed sowing consistently enhances vegetative vigour, pollen viability, fruit set, and marketable yield by aligning critical phenophases with favourable thermal and radiation regimes. In contrast, delayed sowing exposes the crop to heat stress, excessive humidity, and increased pest and disease pressure, leading to reduced fruit number and quality. Varietal differences and genotype × sowing window interactions highlight the need for location-specific recommendations. Physiological and biochemical analyses reveal that sowing time influences hormonal balance, photosynthetic efficiency, assimilate partitioning, and oxidative stress responses. Integrating these insights with crop modelling and agrometeorological indices can refine climate-smart sowing calendars. Overall, optimizing the sowing window offers a low-cost, high-impact strategy for sustaining tomato productivity and quality under increasing climatic variability.