Multivariate analysis of tomato genotypes based on morphological and chemical fruit properties

Abstract

In recent decades the importance of tomato considered as “functional food” is reflected in the rising trend of harvested areas and consumption per capita. During three consecutive years (2010-2012) at experimental fields in Rimski Šančevi near Novi Sad, five landraces, four old varieties, eight breeding lines and three commercial cultivars were chosen for the investigation. Following fruit characteristics were analyzed: average weight (g), length (cm), width (cm), pericarp thickness (mm), locule number, moisture content (%), total soluble solids (°Brix), ash content (%), total acidity (%) and pH value. For the most fruit characteristics high variability was determined. Four principal components explained 90,6% of total variance or 36.5%, 24.2%, 19.8% and 10.1, respectively. Along the axis of the first main component, genotypes were classified into three groups. The objective of this study was to classify 20 tomato genotypes based on physical and chemical traits and to segregate perspective genotypes for improvement of tomato quality by breeding programs.