Selection of thermotolerant Italian tomato cultivars with high fruit yield and nutritional quality for the consumer taste grown under protected cultivation

Increasing fruit yield and quality of tomatoes under organic low-input conditions remains a challenge for producers and breeders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify superior tomato cultivars that are suitable for production and use as parents in breeding programmes. In the present study, the variations in plant morphology and fruit quality characteristics of tomato cultivars were assessed to reveal the traits associated with improved yield and fruit quality. Sixty diverse tomato cultivars were screened in 2015, and in 2016, a subset of 20 cultivars was selected for further evaluation under organic low-input conditions. The results showed high variability among cultivars in all 28 traits that were observed. Salad cultivars had lower plant growth and fruit quality (minerals, dry matter, total soluble solids, and total phenolics) by 10–70%, but they displayed 10–60% higher fruit yield and leaf minerals than cocktail cultivars. Salad tomato cultivars with superior yield and harvest index were mainly derived from breeding for intensive indoor production. Cocktail cultivars with superior yield were mainly derived from organic and outdoor breeding programs. There was a trade-off between fruit yield and quality, indicating a challenge for simultaneous improvement of yield and quality. The importance of Mg was highlighted because of its contribution to the fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality. Cultivars superior in one trait or trait combination under organic low-input conditions were identified to be used by producers and breeders as superior cultivars to meet their production targets and breeding objectives. The importance of Mg provides a novel path for further research on improving soil-available Mg in organic tomato production to enhance fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality in general.

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Nutritional Characterization of a Traditional Cultivar of Tomato Grown Under Organic Conditions—cv. “Malacara”

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.810812 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

María D. Raigón ◽

María D. García-Martínez ◽

Octavian P. Chiriac

Keyword(s):

Organic Farming ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Organic Production ◽

Local Varieties ◽

Yellow Color ◽

Organic Farmers ◽

Tomato Cultivars ◽

Selection Of

The loss of genetic diversity due to the replacement of local tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties by improved cultivars has been mitigated in many cases by the good work of organic farmers in maintaining local agricultural biodiversity. In parallel to these initiatives, in recent years, consumers have developed an increasing awareness of both food-related health, environmental issues, and food demand to recover the flavors of the past. In the case of tomatoes, these attributes (nutritional, organoleptic, social, and environmental) are closely related to organic production using local varieties. “Malacara” tomato is an example of a local variety. Coming from Sierra de Cádiz, it is a varietal type called “Cuelga” (“for hanging,” because the tomato trusses are hung from beams in the farmhouses). Cultivated and harvested in the open air during the summer months, these tomatoes are commercialized and consumed in the winter. Historically, this variety has enabled the fresh consumption of tomatoes during the winter, without the need to force cultivation. It is highly appreciated in the local cuisine and is the basis for sauces figuring in typical dishes. Its characteristic traits are small, pallid fruits, and long shelf life. The main objective of this work has been to typify two Malacara tomato cultivars (red and yellow color) grown under organic farming conditions, through the characterization of morphological, nutritional, and volatile parameters. The main differences are due to morphological parameters (fruit weight and color of the exocarp and endocarp). Other characteristics such as the content of ash, fiber, moisture, the concentration of iron, magnesium, and calcium, and content of lycopene are different between both cultivars. This study provides information on the nutritional and aromatic composition of two Malacara tomato cultivars, differentiated by their color and grown under organic farming conditions. The results add value to the native horticultural heritage and can aid in the selection of tomato varieties suitable for a sustainable production system and to produce tomatoes with high nutritional value and rich in aroma.

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Assessment of GeneticVariability and Character Association in Yield Related Traits and Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus Disease Resistance in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

10.29321/maj.10.000558 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (december) ◽

Author(s):

Gurve VR ◽

◽

Swarna Priya R ◽

Pugalendhi L ◽

Karthikeyan G ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mosaic Virus ◽

Total Phenolic Content ◽

Phenolic Content ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Yellow Vein ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Character Association ◽

Fruit Diameter ◽

Selection Of

Okra is India’s most widely grown tropical and subtropical vegetable crop. Despite widespread cultivation, crop yield and productivity remain subpar. Yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) disease is a serious threat to Indian okra production, causing yield losses ranging from 17.09 to 96.49 per cent. In this context, the present study was aimed to assess the variability and character association of 74 elite germplasm accessions for thirteen quantitative and quality traits. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation (PCV and GCV) were observed among all evaluated traits except fruit diameter, which showed a moderate PCV and GCV. All traits had high heritability and high genetic advance, implying that the heritability was most likely due to additive gene effects. Direct selection of these traits would be advantageous for okra improvement, especially in developing a YVMV resistant genotype. Fruit yield per plant exhibited a significant and positive genotypic as well as phenotypic correlation with fruit weight, fruit length, peroxidase activity, polyphenol activity, fruit diameter, total phenolic content and plant height, whereas node at which the first flower appeared and YVMV were negatively correlated to fruit yield per plant. Correlation studies indicated YVMV resistance towards high total phenolic content, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase. The high positive direct effects on fruit yield per plant were observed for fruit weight followed by number of fruit per plant and total phenolic content. This study revealed that simultaneous selection of these traits can help in increasing yield and YVMV resistance.

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An investigation of differences in fruit yield and components contributing to increased fruit yield in Japanese and Dutch tomato cultivars

Plant Biotechnology ◽

10.5511/plantbiotechnology.11.0928a ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 455-461 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Takeshi Saito ◽

Yong-Gen Yin ◽

Mizuki Matsuoka ◽

Shinya Watanabe ◽

Chiaki Matsukura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Yield ◽

Tomato Cultivars

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Evaluation of capia pepper (C. annuum L.) inbred lines and selection of hybrid pepper varieties for protected cultivation

Acta Horticulturae ◽

10.17660/actahortic.2020.1271.56 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 411-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. Ozalp ◽

I. Çelik

Keyword(s):

Inbred Lines ◽

Protected Cultivation ◽

Selection Of

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Analysis of agronomic and chemical-nutritional variability of fruits in Amazon germplasm of Capsicum chinense

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca ◽

10.15835/nbha48412043 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 2198-2214

Author(s):

Santina R. SANTANA ◽

Derly J. H. Da SILVA ◽

Leonardo L. BHERING ◽

Ronaldo S. GOMES ◽

Renato D. S. ROSADO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Native Species ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Capsicum Chinense ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Superior Genotypes ◽

Promising Source ◽

Selection Of

Fruits of Capsicum chinense, a native species of Amazon Basin, express high levels of bioactive components such as vitamin C and carotenoids; some of them with pronounced pro-vitamin A activity such as β-carotene, which confers high economic potential to this species. The characterization of C. chinense germplasm helps in its management and conservation. Therefore, this practice is considered crucial for the identification of genotypes with superior characteristics, especially in relation to agronomic aspects and chemical-nutritional characteristics of fruits. This study aimed to characterize 55 C. chinense accessions collected from the Brazilian Amazon in terms of their agronomic and chemical-nutritional descriptors aiming to identify superior genotypes for these traits. The characterization was performed in a completely randomized design with 5 replications in non-heated environment. There was significant difference for all descriptors, confirming the variability among accessions. High heritability estimates for descriptors, such as fruit yield (95.1%) and vitamin C content of fruit (92.4%), was found to be associated with high CVg/CVe ratios of these traits, indicating a favorable condition for the selection of superior genotypes for these characteristics. A considerable part of the accessions expressed averages higher than the checks, notably for the fruit yield and the content of vitamin C. The cluster analysis resulted in the formation of 11 groups, corroborating the high variability of accessions for the agronomic and chemical-nutritional aspects of fruits. The evaluated C. chinense germplasm thus expressed high fruit yield and vitamin C content in the fruits, which makes it a promising source for the selection of superior genotypes.

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Yield of Japanese Tomato Cultivars Has Been Hampered by a Breeding Focus on Flavor

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.47.10.1408 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (10) ◽

pp. 1408-1411 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Tadahisa Higashide ◽

Ken-ichiro Yasuba ◽

Katsumi Suzuki ◽

Akimasa Nakano ◽

Hiromi Ohmori

Keyword(s):

Photosynthetic Rate ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Light Use Efficiency ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Soluble Solids Content ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Tomato Cultivars ◽

Solids Content ◽

Greenhouse Tomatoes

The yield of greenhouse tomatoes in Japan has not increased since the 1980s and remains much less than 30 kg·m−2 per year. To investigate the cause of this low yield, we compared six Japanese tomato cultivars that were commonly grown or released during the past 80 years to see whether fruit yield (fruit fresh weight per area) and dry matter (DM) content per fruit improved under current cultivation conditions. Fruit yield in ‘Momotaro’ (released in 1985) was lower than that in older cultivars. Total DM was determined mainly by light use efficiency and photosynthetic rate, and light use efficiency was correlated with maximum photosynthetic rate. The more modern cultivars did not show improved DM content per fruit. The DM content per fruit was strongly correlated with the soluble solids content in fruits except in ‘Momotaro’ and ‘Momotaro colt’, but soluble solids in fruits of the ‘Momotaro’-type cultivars were higher than in other cultivars for a given DM content per fruit. Thus, tomato breeding in Japan appears to have focused on fruit soluble solids content per unit DM rather than fruit yield or DM content; as a result, only the former parameter has improved greatly.

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Gender differences in fruit production and selection of avocado and banana varieties: Case study at Wondo Genet and Wondo Woredas, Southern Ethiopia

International Journal of Agricultural Extension ◽

10.33687/ijae.008.02.3059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 77-83

Author(s):

Tamirat G. Feyisa ◽

Habtamu G. Megersa

Keyword(s):

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Banana Production ◽

Land Preparation ◽

Household Members ◽

Gender Based ◽

Female Headed Households ◽

Selection Of

This study was designed to assess differences in gender roles and preferences of female and male-headed fruit producers regarding the selection of avocado and banana varieties. Two woredas were selected purposively based on the availability of avocado and banana production trends in the woredas. Then, a model avocado and banana producing female and male-headed households were identified and about 34 households were selected randomly from both woredas. A structured questioner was used to collect primary information from the selected households. The collected data were analyzed by STATA 12 software. The obtained results indicated that the male household members exceedingly participated in land preparation (93%), seedling preparation (90%), transplanting (90%) and weeding (76%) whereas, female household members highly participated in fruit collection (72%), transporting fruits to the market (83%), selling the fruit (90%) and deciding on money obtained from fruit sale (83%). The increased participation of female household members indicated that the contribution of female-headed households on many farming activities. The major criteria considered in selection of avocado varieties were plant height (75%), fruit size (75%), fruit yield (84%), fruit test (97%) whereas, fruit yield (91%), fruit color (72%), fruit test (94%) and fruit smell (53%) were important criteria for banana varieties. There were no statistically significant differences (P0.05) in avocado and banana varieties selection criteria between female and male headed households. Therefore, breeders need not develop different avocado and banana varieties for female and male-headed producers. Gender based labor division in the study areas should be taken into consideration whenever technology is demonstrated and farmers' training is given on avocado and banana production technologies to ensure their effective implementation

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