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Ascorbic acid (AsA), an essential non-enzymatic antioxidant in plants, regulates development growth and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, research on AsA's role in cold tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, our study uncovered the positive role of AsA in improving cold stress tolerance in tomato seedlings. Physiological analysis showed that AsA significantly enhanced the enzyme activity of the antioxidant defense system in tomato seedling leaves and increased the contents of proline, sugar, abscisic acid (ABA), and endogenous AsA. In addition, we found that AsA is able to protect the photosynthetic system of tomato seedlings, thereby relieving the declining rate of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that AsA significantly increased the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and involved in AsA synthesis, ABA biosynthesis/signal transduction, and low-temperature responses in tomato. In conclusion, the application of exogenous AsA enhances cold stress tolerance in tomato seedlings through various molecular and physiological responses. This provides a theoretical foundation for exploring the regulatory mechanisms underlying cold tolerance in tomato and offers practical guidance for enhancing cold tolerance in tomato cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is a critical abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth and productivity by impairing photosynthesis. This study explores the impact of exogenous ascorbic acid (AsA) on the photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Ligeer 87-5) under salt stress. Hydroponic experiments were conducted in a solar greenhouse, where tomato seedlings were subjected to the following five treatments: Control, NaCl, NaCl + AsA, NaCl + lycorine (LYC), and NaCl + LYC + AsA. Our findings demonstrate that salt stress significantly reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, levels of chlorophyll synthesis precursors (5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG), uroporphyrinogen III (Urogen III), protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX), magnesium protoporphyrin IX (Mg-Proto IX), protochlorophyllide (Pchl)), and essential elements (Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mo, and P) in both roots and leaves. These reductions led to a substantial decline in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and compromised photosystem II (PSII). In contrast, exogenous AsA application significantly enhanced the content of photosynthetic pigment precursors and essential elements, improved stomatal aperture and gas exchange efficiency, and boosted the photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings under salt stress. Furthermore, AsA treatment mitigated the negative effects of salt stress by protecting PSII, increased light energy utilization efficiency, and alleviated both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations. The application of the AsA synthesis inhibitor LYC exacerbated the detrimental effects of salt stress, further reducing chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency. In conclusion, exogenous AsA plays a vital role in enhancing the photosynthetic performance and stress tolerance of tomato seedlings under salt stress by stabilizing chlorophyll biosynthesis, facilitating essential element absorption, and optimizing stomatal function. This study provides a new approach and feasible measures for improving tomato resistance and yield, which is significant for enhancing crop productivity, managing saline soils, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSelecting the appropriate dosage of nano zinc oxide for tomato and capsicum plants is crucial since higher concentration may negatively impact crop productivity and quality. Maintaining soil health helps in increasing crop output and quality without degrading the soil from overfertilization. The main objective of the study was to determine the physiological responses of both crops and ideal dose of nano zinc oxide (ZnO) for yield maximization and quality enhancement under controlled conditions. In present study, nano ZnO had noticeable effect on the fruit and quality parameters of both Solanaceous crops. Plants were treated with seed treatment and foliar applications of nano ZnO @ 50, 100, and 150 parts per million (ppm) along with 100% recommended dose of nutrients (RDN) through vermicompost; and 100% RDN through integration of vermicompost and fertilizers. In addition, nano zinc oxide was not supplied to the control treatment plants (T1). The results of the study revealed that 50 ppm of nano ZnO as foliar spray increased fruit and quality parameters in tomato and capsicum. In case of protein content, treatment comprised of 50 ppm of nano ZnO as seed treatment + 100% RDN through vermicompost and fertilizers, produced higher protein content over control. Furthermore, the application of nano ZnO lowered ascorbic acid levels in tomato and capsicum, while the control had the greatest levels. These results suggested that lower concentration of ZnO nanoparticles (50 ppm) is an ideal dosage and could be used in tomato and capsicum cultivation to improve yield and quality indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the postharvest evolution in terms of quality and functional traits of recently introduced mini plum tomato cultivars, differing for fruit pigmentation. The cultivars Santy Naranja (orange fruit) and Melange (dark red, green-striped fruit), along with the well-established 'Angelle' (red fruit), were monitored during refrigerated storage (10 °C) for 0, 7, and 14 days (hereafter S0, S7, and S14, respectively) inside closed polylactic acid trays. 'Melange' displayed the highest fruit fresh weight loss and total soluble solids (TSS) (9.28 °Bx), along with the lowest firmness (4.69 N), whereas 'Santy Naranja' showed the strongest color deviation during the storage period. Titratable acidity (TA) was relatively stable in 'Melange', while 'Angelle' experienced the highest decrease between S7 and S14, resulting in stronger TSS/TA fluctuations. Regarding the functional traits, 'Melange' had the highest total polyphenols content (TPC), whereas 'Angelle' excelled in total carotenoid content (TCC), ascorbic acid content (AsA), and fruits' antioxidant activity, as revealed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. With reference to storage time, the O2 concentration in the headspace, TPC, AsA, and DPPH decreased between S0 and S14, whereas CO2 concentration, TCC, and FRAP increased, but these variations were mostly cultivar-dependent. This study provides insights into the postharvest behavior of novel mini plum tomato typologies and their ability to maintain quality over time, providing information for developing strategies to preserve their sensory and nutraceutical characteristics during refrigerated storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage induces physiological, biochemical, and molecular alterations in plant leaves that play an essential role in plant adaptive response. The effects of drought and post-drought rewatering on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and levels of H2O2, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and proline were studied in six local tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties. The contents of H2O2 and ascorbic acid increased in all drought-exposed tomato plants and then decreased upon rewatering. The level of phenolic compounds also decreased in response to water shortage and then recovered upon rehydration, although the extent of this response was different in different varieties. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (POX) and the content of proline significantly increased in the drought-stressed plants and then decreased when the plants were rewatered. The activities of 8 constitutive APX isoforms and 2 constitutive POX isoforms varied upon exposure to drought and were observed after rewatering in all studied varieties. The information on the response of tomato plants to drought and subsequent rewatering is of great importance for screening and selection of drought-tolerant varieties, as well as for development of strategies for increasing plant productivity under adverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes contain many secondary metabolites such as β-carotene, lycopene, phenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, which are responsible for antioxidant activity. SlSGR1 encodes a STAY-GREEN protein that plays a critical role in the regulation of chlorophyll degradation in tomato leaves and fruits. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the sgr1 null lines based on their physicochemical characteristics, the content of secondary metabolites, and the γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) content. The total soluble solids (TSS), titrated acidity (TA), and brix acid ratio (BAR) of the sgr1 null lines were higher than those of the wild type(WT). Additionally, the sgr1 null lines accumulated higher levels of flavor-inducing ascorbic acid and total carotenoids compared to WT. Also, the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, GABA content, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical content of the sgr1 null lines were higher than those of the WT. Therefore, these studies suggest that the knockout of the SGR1 gene by the CRISPR/Cas9 system can improve various functional compounds in tomato fruit, thereby satisfying the antioxidant properties required by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cherry tomato is a nutritious product commonly used in salads or consumed as a dietary supplement. However, improper storage after harvesting can lead to a decrease in its quality and shelf-life. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. and solid lipid nanoparticles containing free essential oil at concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.075%, 0.1%, and 0.2% on the microbial load and post-harvest quality of Solanum lycopersicum cv. Santiago F1 during 28 days of storage at 8°C. Fruits coated with solid lipid nanoparticles containing essential oil at 0.075%, 0.1%, and 0.2% maintained their quality attributes, including firmness at approximately 50%, ascorbic acid at about 80%, phenolic compounds, color parameters, antioxidant activity at around 71%, and sensory properties compared to the control groups or fruits treated with free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. This coating also effectively suppressed cellulase and polyphenol oxidase activity, reducing microbial load and weight loss percentages to under 10%. However, it's important to note that fruits coated with free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. at 0.1% and 0.2% showed visible tissue damage. Our research demonstrated that the combination of solid lipid nanoparticles and free essential oil of Mentha × Piperita L. resulted in a decrease in microbial load, an extension of shelf-life, and improvements in the quality characteristics of cherry tomato fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes are low in calories, however, they provide the precious content of vitamins, minerals, organic acids, carbohydrates, and, especially, carotenoids (β-carotene and lycopene), as essential requirements for the normal functioning of the human body. The latest study aimed to quantify the various compounds that exhibit antioxidant activities in different tomato cultivars. Tomato landraces with the supreme content of individual chemicals and complex of varied traits can serve as genetic sources in breeding for obtaining the tomato genotypes with the highest content of carotenoids, ascorbic acid, phenols, dry matter, and soluble sugars. Comparative analysis of tomato cultivars showed that to obtain genetic material with an enhanced content of secondary metabolites, the following tomato cultivars are recommendable for the desired hybridization to make possible cross combinations, i.e., Black Jack, Shirley, Bosare blue, and Christmas Blueberry and can suggest more precisely for high carotenoids content. Tomato cultivars VS169-19 and Paul Robeson can benefit as sources of soluble sugars and antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid and polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) is a well-known regulator in controlling protein S-nitrosylation modification and nitric oxide (NO) homeostasis. Here, a GSNOR inhibitor N6022 and SlGSNOR silencing were applied to investigate the roles of SlGSNOR in tomato fruit postharvest ripening. We found that the application of N6022 and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO, a NO donor), and SlGSNOR silencing delayed the transition of fruit skin color by improving total chlorophyll level by 88.57%, 44.78%, and 91.03%, respectively. Meanwhile, total carotenoid and lycopene contents were reduced by these treatments. Concurrently, the activity of chlorophyll biosynthesis enzymes and the expression of related genes were upregulated, and the transcript abundances of total carotenoid bioproduction genes were downregulated, by N6022 and GSNO treatments and SlGSNOR silencing. In addition, fruit softening was postponed by N6022, GSNO, and SlGSNOR silencing, through delaying the decrease of firmness and declining cell wall composition; structure-related enzyme activity; and gene expression levels. Furthermore, N6022, GSNO, and SlGSNOR silencing enhanced the accumulation of titratable acid; ascorbic acid; total phenol; and total flavonoid, but repressed the content of soluble sugar and soluble protein accompanied with the expression pattern changes of nutrition-related genes. In addition, the endogenous NO contents were elevated by 197.55%; 404.59%; and 713.46%, and the endogenous SNOs contents were enhanced by 74.65%; 93.49%; and 94.85%; by N6022 and GSNO treatments and SlGSNOR silencing, respectively. Altogether, these results indicate that SlGSNOR positively promotes tomato postharvest fruit ripening, which may be largely on account of its negative roles in the endogenous NO level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important economic plant, Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill.) faces salinity stress from germination to all growth stages. The aim of this study is to ride salt-induced agriculture difficulties of tomato by applying different chemical seed priming: ascorbic acid (ASA), potassium nitrate (KNO3) and calcium nitrate (CaNO3) during two time periods which are 24 and 48 hours. In the current case, the seeds were pre-treated with previously mentioned chemicals for varying periods of time before germination in a salt solution (100 mM NaCl). The treatments were replicated three times. For no primed seeds, salt treatment decreased germination parameters as well as seedling growth parameters (fresh weight, epicotyl and root length and chlorophyll content). Different chemical seed priming alleviated the salt harmful effect on germination and growth parameters. In saline conditions, the priming agents, had more significant effect in comparison with normal conditions. Significantly, the treatment including CaNO3-48-h priming, had high efficacy in promoting germination and plant growth and is associated with reduced levels of leaf proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress affects plant growth, development, nutrient uptake, and yield. Applications of micronutrients, specifically zinc (Zn), can mitigate the harmful consequences of salt stress. During the winter season of 2022, an experiment was conducted in the net house of BINA substation Satkhira, Bangladesh, to examine the impact of different Zn concentrations (5 and 10 kg ha-1) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) growth, yield, fruit quality, and nutrient acquisition abilities under different salt stress (SS) conditions (SS0.5%, SS1.0%, and SS1.5% NaCl). The result of the study showed that different stress conditions lowered the plant height, the number of branches per plant, flower clusters, and fruits per plant, plant yield, vitamin C, protein and lycopene contents, and the acquisition of different nutrients, i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). The application of 10 kg Zn ha-1 (Zn10) increased all previously mentioned parameters in both saline and usual conditions. On the other hand, a decrease in the amount of Na in fruit was observed when Zn application was increased from 5 to 10 kg ha-1. Plant Na/K ratios were consequently lowest at the highest Zn concentration. Therefore, the findings indicate that Zn application improves tomato growth, yield, fruit quality, and nutrient acquisition traits by mitigating the negative impacts of saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peeling is a crucial part of the tomato deep processing procedure, and the choice of peeling method directly affects the quality of peeling. As far as the conventional peeling methods are concerned, They are still energy and water-intensive and have adverse effects on the environment. The conventional peeling methods often used in the field of tomato peeling were reviewed in this article, including manual, mechanical, chemical, or steam, and the current novel peeling methods, such as enzymatic peeling, pulse electric field peeling, infrared peeling, high-humidity hot air impingement blanching peeling, ohmic heating-assisted lye peeling, flame-catalytic infrared peeling, ultrasonic-assisted lye peeling and CO2 laser-assisted lye peeling. The mechanism, advantages and disadvantages, and applications, of different peeling methods are also summarized and analyzed. In contrast, the novel peeling method excelled in reducing the use of lye and improving the quality of peeled tomatoes. The retention of nutrients such as lycopene, ascorbic acid, and total phenols is extremely dependent on the high texture retention and low peeling loss of peeled pulp. Therefore, the mechanism of peeling and texture preservation after peeling are current research hotspots in the industry. In addition further research should accelerate the scale-up and commercial applicability of the new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling postharvest tomato wastes will reduce the carbon footprints of greenhouse facilities. This study investigated the effects of tomato postharvest waste as a growing medium (TSW; tomato stalk waste and PTSW; pretreated tomato stalk waste) in soilless culture on tomato growth, development, yield and quality. Tomato wastes were compared with cocopeat and peat-perlite mixture media and economic analyses were made for potential use of tomato waste as a growing medium. The highest stomatal conductance (138.7 mmol m−2 s−1), average fruit weight (86.7 g), yield (3.96 kg plant−1) and soluble solids content (SSC; 4.8%) values were obtained from the cocopeat medium. PTSW, cocopeat and peat + perlite media yielded similar stomatal conductance values. The best fruit skin color values (hue; 0.54) were obtained from peat + perlite medium. The highest titratable acidity (4.9 g citric acid 100 mL−1) and vitamin C (21.7 mg 100 g−1) values were obtained from the TSW medium. PTSW (Pretreated tomato waste) had similar yield and quality traits with commercial growing media. It was concluded that PTSW was better than other growing media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the yield and some quality characteristics of 20 beef tomato lines at the F6 stage. As a result, the total yield, average fruit weight, fruit length, and fruit width of the lines varied between 6.60-14.93 t/da, 200.80-384.00 g, 53.68-75.05 mm, and 71.95-98.29 mm respectively. Furthermore, it was found that the fruit flesh firmness values of the tomato lines used in the study varied between 0.41-1.32 kg/cm²; brix values between 6.10-9.60%; vitamin C values between 20.03-25.57 mg/100 g; total phenolic contents between 13.28-30.72 mg/100 g; lycopene contents between 4.69-9.68 mg/100 g and beta-carotene contents between 0.83-2.17 mg/100 g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe) is one of the limiting micronutrients essential for crop productivity. The goal of our study was to evaluate the effects of different sources and rates of Fe fertilization on the marketable yield, physical and chemical properties, and phytochemical quality of fresh market tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum L., cv. Sunbrite). A factorial experiment under a drip-irrigated plasticulture system was conducted in a completely randomized design with two sources of Fe (nano vs. chelated) and four rates of application (0, 10, 20, and 40 mg/L) with four replications. Results indicated that relative chlorophyll concentration in the leaf (SPAD index) increased significantly (by 24 to 27%) with 10 and 20 mg/L of both nano- and chelated Fe fertilization compared to the control. Increasing Fe fertilization decreased the leaf SPAD readings. The total fruit yield of tomato was 1.6 to 1.8 times higher under the chelated- and nano Fe fertilization and the increase in yield was significantly higher under the chelated Fe fertilization, when compared to the control. In contrast, the tomato harvest index was highest under 10 and 20 mg/L of nano Fe than under other Fe treatments. While the chelated Fe fertilized tomatoes had significantly higher concentrations of vitamin C (34%), ß-carotene (6%), total carotene (25%), flavonoid (17%), and polyphenol (66%), the nano Fe, in contrast, increased ß-carotene, total carotene, and polyphenol concentrations by 25, 33, 51, and 7%, respectively, compared to the control. The 20 mg/L chelated Fe significantly increased the vitamin C, total carotene, flavonoid, polyphenol concentration, and antioxidant capacity more than any other Fe treatments. Based on the principal components analyses, vitamin C, lycopene, and anthocyanin were identified as the core indicators of the tomato nutrition quality index (NQIndex). The NQIndex ranged from 47 to 54, falling within the medium level of nutritional quality (40 to <70). In conclusion, the chelated Fe, when applied at 20 mg/L, was the most appropriate rate based on highly correlated connectivity for the phytochemicals syntheses associated with the improved tomato antioxidant capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: High tunnels (HT) and plastic mulch can increase yield, extend growing seasons, protect plants from harsh weather conditions, and produce more marketable and attractive tomatoes. However, plastic covering reduces solar radiation, which may affect the quality of tomatoes. This study investigated the effects of single‐layer versus double‐layer HT and plastic mulch versus bare soil on the quality of fully ripe tomato fruits. The study was conducted over 2 years (2021 and 2022). The fruit color (L*, a*, and b*), vitamin C, pH, total titratable acid (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), and lycopene content of the two tomato cultivars (Brandywine and Rebelski) were quantified. RESULTS: The results showed that quality parameters varied with the plastic layers of HT, plastic mulch, and planting year. The double‐layer HT only showed a slight but significant influence on the color of tomatoes of both cultivars in the same year (P < 0.05). Brandywine tomatoes grown in the double‐layer HT had significantly lower pH and lycopene content than those grown in single‐layer HT, regardless of mulching. The effect of plastic layers on TTA, TSS, and lycopene depended on whether the soil was mulched. Tomatoes grown on bare soil had higher TTA and TSS values than those grown on mulched soil in double‐layer HT. Tomatoes grown in single‐layer HTs had significantly higher vitamin C content than those in the double‐layer HT for both cultivars regardless of mulching. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that double‐layer HT is unnecessary for the improvement of the overall quality of tomatoes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a storage study was conducted to find suitable packaging material for tomato powder storage. Experiments were laid out in a single factor completely randomized design (CRD) to study the effect of packaging materials on lycopene, vitamin C moisture content, and water activity of tomato powder; The factor (packaging materials) has three levels (low‐density polyethylene bag, polypropylene bottle, wrapped with aluminum foils, and packed in low‐density polyethylene bag) and is replicated three times. During the study, a twin layer solar tunnel dried tomato slices of var. Galilea was used. The dried tomato slices were then ground and packed (40 g each) in the packaging materials and stored at room temperature. Samples were drawn from the packages at 2‐month interval for quality analysis and SAS (version 9.2) software was used for statistical analysis. From the result, higher retention of lycopene (80.13%) and vitamin C (49.32%) and a nonsignificant increase in moisture content and water activity were observed for tomato powder packed in polypropylene bottles after 6 months of storage. For low‐density polyethylene packed samples and samples wrapped with aluminum foil and packed in a low‐density polyethylene bag, 57.06% and 60.45% lycopene retention and 42.9% and 49.23% Vitamin C retention were observed, respectively, after 6 months of storage. Considering the results found, it can be concluded that lycopene and vitamin C content of twin layer solar tunnel dried tomato powder can be preserved at ambient temperature storage by packing in a polypropylene bottle with a safe range of moisture content and water activity levels for 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) attracts great attention of the growers owing to its good taste, ample antioxidant potential and high nutriotional value. Potassium (K) plays vital role in many biochemical and physiological processes. Potassium application and its proper application time was tested in field experimenet for tomato yield and nutritional quality. The experiment site was the farm area of Biocemistry Section, Post Harvest Research Centre, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, during the year 2022. Seven treatments were applied on two tomato varieties (Nadir and Nagina) with 4 K-levels i.e. without any K (0-K), 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1. Potassium was applied as single basal dose at transplanting, as well as in two splits. Recommended nitrogen and phosphorus (150 and 90 kg ha-1, respectively) were applied to all the treatments. The highest yield (24.80 t ha-1 ) and fresh fruit weight (86.3 g fruit-1) resulted in response of 90 kg of K ha-1 in two splits, albeit firmness (8.48 kg), total soluble solids (7.28 %), acidity (0.84%), total invert sugars (6.65 %), ascorbic acid (31.28 mg 100 g-1), mineral matter (1.99 %), lycopene (5.73 mg 100 g-1) and beta-carotene (237 µg 100 g-1) were recorded the highest with the application of 120 kg ha-1 potassium in two splits. Nadir was superior to Nagina with improved total invert sugars (6.31 %), mineral matter (1.89 %), lycopene (5.36 mg 100 g-1) and beta-carotene (229 µg 100 g-1). So, it is concluded that Nadir was a better variety than Nagina and 120 kg of K ha-1 showed good results with both the varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, famous for its crystal‐clear lakes, majestic Tien Shan Mountains that bisect the territory of Turkistan, and magnificent natural beauty. This study aims to evaluate the fruit (acorns) of the oak trees (Quercus robur L.) grown in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. For this purpose, carboxymethyl acorn starch (CMAS), which is not synthesized in literature, is first synthesized by isolating acorn starch (AS) from the acorns. The structures of CMASs are characterized by 1H(13C)‐NMR, FT‐IR, XRD, and SEM techniques. The viscosities of the samples with different degrees of substitution (DS), such as 0.62, 0.95, and 1.01, determined by the titrimetric method, are measured as 247, 600, and 388 mPa s, respectively. In addition, considering the film‐forming properties of CMASs, tomatoes are coated, and their shelf lives are investigated. Weight loss (WL) is 38.36% in control and 25.52% in coated tomato after 4 weeks. The needle penetration depth is measured as 388 mm in the control and 249 mm in the coated tomato. Total soluble solids (TSS) content showed approximate results in both samples. Control tomatoes containing 78.8 mg 100 g−1 ascorbic acid lost significantly during storage, reducing to 13.90 mg 100 g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a water‐soluble antioxidant that plays important roles in plant development and human health. Understanding the regulatory mechanism underlying AsA biosynthesis is imperative to the development of high AsA plants.In this study, we reveal that the auxin response factor SlARF4 transcriptionally inhibits SlMYB99, which subsequently modulates AsA accumulation via transcriptional activation of AsA biosynthesis genes GPP, GLDH, and DHAR. The auxin‐dependent transcriptional cascade of SlARF4‐SlMYB99‐GPP/GLDH/DHAR modulates AsA synthesis, while mitogen‐activated protein kinase SlMAPK8 not only phosphorylates SlMYB99, but also activates its transcriptional activity. Both SlMYB99 and SlMYB11 proteins physically interact with each other, thereby synergistically regulating AsA biosynthesis by upregulating the expression of GPP, GLDH, and DHAR genes.Collectively, these results demonstrate that auxin and abscisic acid antagonistically regulate AsA biosynthesis during development and drought tolerance in tomato via the SlMAPK8‐SlARF4‐SlMYB99/11 module.These findings provide new insights into the mechanism underlying phytohormone regulation of AsA biosynthesis and provide a theoretical basis for the future development of high AsA plants via molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most valuable horticulture crops, consumed in both its raw and processed forms. To increase yield and efficiency, conventional and organic fertilizers are utilized in modern agriculture. Traditional fertilizers increase crop yield but are harmful to the environment. These circumstances motivate the pursuit of an alternate solution. The purpose of this research was to investigate how the application of nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) combined with conventional fertilizer influence tomato plants' development, including the antioxidant potential of cultivated plants. Three factors such as different types of cultivars, dosage of applied nano-ZnO solution and the method of nanoparticles application were implemented. Multiple analysis of selected antioxidants content and their activities such as malondialdehyde (MDA), flavonoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase (CAT) were analyzed. The obtained data exhibited that all examined parameters were strongly dependent on three implemented factors: concentration of nano-ZnO suspension, the type of cultivated tomato and the method of nanoparticles application. For instance, the accumulation of MDA in cultivated plants was different among plants under nanoparticles treatment, but in one specific case (Malinowy Bossman cultivar treated with 50 mg/L nano-ZnO suspension) the content of this marker was decreased by 34% in comparison to the corresponding control. Nevertheless, the results presented in this study showed that the usage of certain doses of nano-ZnO suspension may increase the antioxidant potential of tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature stress seriously affects the growth, development, yield, and quality of tomato production. Bacillus methylotrophicus is an important plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). However, the role of B. methylotrophicus under low-temperature stress is poorly understood. Accordingly, the effects of B. methylotrophicus ('VL-10′) on tomato cold stress (15 °C/8 °C, 12 h/12 h, and day/night) were studied. B. methyltrophicus 'VL-10′ was added into the substrate at the time of sowing, and the plants were treated at a low temperature for 2 weeks after 40 days of growth. We found that the low temperature reduced the spatial distribution of the aboveground and underground sections of tomatoes and the leaf SPAD and photochemical efficiency of PS II (Fv/Fm). After low-temperature stress, the tomato flowering was delayed, the vitamin C and lycopene content in fruit decreased, and the nitrate content increased. However, inoculated with B. methyltrophicus 'VL-10′ during sowing promoted the growth of tomato seedlings, enhanced the native defense ability of the tomatoes, and effectively reduced the cold shock response of the roots to cold damage and the adverse effects of low temperature on leaf SPAD and Fv/Fm. After the cultivation at normal temperature, the inoculat B. methyltrophicus 'VL-10′ could rapidly regain plant growth levers, and eliminate the delay of low temperature on flowering. TOPSIS analysis showed that the nutritional quality of tomatoes could be effectively improved by inoculation with B. methyltrophicus 'VL-10′ regardless of normal cultivation or low-temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of micronutrients namely zinc (Zn) and boron (B) with or without farmyard manure (FYM) on growth, yield and quality parameters viz. ascorbic acid and carotene content of tomato was evaluated. A field experiment was conducted with graded doses of Zn (soil and soil + foliar application) and B (soil application) application with or without FYM for the two consecutive years (2012 and 2013). Results revealed that application of Zn and B significantly enhanced fruit yield and different growth parameters as well as plant tissue concentration of Zn and B in tomato. The highest increase in fruit yield over control (27.6%) was observed with the conjoint application of Zn (soil + foliar), B (2.0 kg ha−1) and FYM. Soil application of Zn at higher doses (10 kg ha−1) as well as its application through both soil + foliar method has an edge over control or its application at comparatively lower doses in increasing the fruit yield of tomato. Results further revealed that combined application of Zn and B can significantly increase the important quality parameters viz. carotene and ascorbic acid content in tomato. Such increase in carotene content to the tune of 25 and 35% and ascorbic acid content to the tune of 7 and 30% over control were observed with soil + foliar application of Zn and 2 kg ha−1 B, respectively. Therefore, optimization of Zn and B doses can improve the yield and quality of tomato as well as helps in correcting the micronutrients malnutrition vis-à-vis nutritional disorders in humans by enriching the antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to model the drying kinetics (drying time (DT), effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), and specific energy consumption (SEC) of tomato slices dry with a convective hot-air dryer using artificial neural networks (ANN) and neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The tomatoes were pretreated with water blanching (WBP), ascorbic acid (AAP) and sodium metabisulphite (SBP); sliced into 4, 6, and 8 mm thickness and dried at 40 ℃, 50 ℃, and 60 ℃ air temperatures. The experimental drying data were fitted to ANN and ANFIS models, while the best topology was obtained. The model's predictive performance was determined using the coefficient of determination (R2), means squared error (MSE), root means squared error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) between predicted and experimental results. The DT ranged between 11.5 and 22.5 h, Deff(0.98 × 10-10 to 6.36 × 10-10 m² s-1) and SEC (0.6247 to 1.9514 kWh kg-1). Higher R² (0.9056-0.9834) with lower MSE (0.0014-2.2044), RMSE (0.00035 - 1.49 × 10-13) and MAE (0.00026 - 1.08 × 10-13) for ANFIS compared to ANN showed that ANFIS methodology could precisely predict experimental data. This study found that ANFIS is highly accurate in predicting the drying kinetic, thereby demonstrating its ability to find a meaningful relationship between drying kinetic and drying conditions. Therefore, the model developed in this study can be a valuable tool in accurately predicting drying kinetic in dried tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are the most cultivated and consumed vegetable species in the world and deserve special attention due to their nutritional and functional value. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional value of organically grown tomatoes in greenhouses, at different maturity phases. Five hybrids were studied: Antalya F1, Cemile F1, Lorely F1, Tiger F1 and Sacher F1. The observed parameters in each harvest phase were: Content of chlorophyll a and b, total carotenoids, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and titratable acidity (TA). Taking into account the content of TSS and TA, taste and maturity index was established. Tiger F1, Sacher F1 and Cemile F1 hybrids were significantly standing out for all analysed parameters. Sacher F1 had a carotene content of 10.3 mg 100 g-1 FW in green fruit and 17.0 mg 100 g-1 FW in red fruit. Vitamin C was 6.2 mg 100 g-1 FW in green fruits, increasing to 16.0 mg 100 g-1 FW in red fruits. The mineral content depended on the hybrid and harvest stage. In the rose phase the highest K content was in Cemile F1 (151.53 mg 100-1 g), Ca in Lorely F1 (8.16 mg 100 g-1), Mg in Sacher F1 and Tiger F1 with values over 22.0 mg 100 g-1, and Tiger F1 and Sacher F1 distinguish in Zn, Cu and Fe content. In the red fruit phase, Tiger F1 and Sacher F1 hybrids are representative for almost all minerals excepting Lorely F1 and Cemile F1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is considered one of the most important horticultural crops worldwide due to its nutritional and organoleptic properties. Instead of chemical fertilizers, recent research has shown in several plant species the importance of silicon fertilization. Hence, the present investigation aims to evaluate the effect of three different doses (low, medium, and high dose) of silicon on the growth (stem length and diameter, root length diameter, and stem, leaf and root biomass), productivity (polar and equatorial fruit diameter, number of fruits per bunch and plant, and yield), and nutraceutical quality (total soluble solids, titratable acids, and vitamin C) parameters of tomato. The Si treatment affected the evaluated parameters in a dose dependent way in almost all the parameters evaluated. Despite the tomato is classified as a non-Si accumulator, it has a significant response to Si treatment at a low dose of 0.15 g plant-1, medium dose of 0.25 g plant-1, and high dose of 0.35 g plant-1 after 120 d of transplantation in terms of plant growth, yield, and quality parameters. The effectiveness of Si nutrition is dependent on factors such as element source, plant species, and cultivar, and even, the absorption and bioaccumulation capacity of this element could be different between varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is an important vegetable crop which provides approximately 40% of the daily recommended vitamin C and vitamin A, which supports human health. The experiments were laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) having four treatments and four time repetition under high tunnel. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers were applied at the rate of 60:60:60 kg/ha or 1:1:1 to T1, T2 and T3 after each 10, 20 and 30 day's interval while Zn (5 kg/ha) was applied as a basal dose. The highest marketable yield was observed for T2 after each 20 days of NPK application. Maximum Grad-A fruit among the treatments was recorded for T1, Grade-B for T2 & T3 and Grade-C for T0. Highest density was recorded for T2, % moisture for T0, maximum chlorophyll content in leaves was recorded for T2 while highest shelf life was noted for T1, T2 and T3 except T0. The fruit and straw of tomato was analyzed to determine N, P and K (%) by using standard protocol. Among all the treatments highest N, P and K in fruit was observed for T1. In case of straw maximum N was observed for T1 whereas high level of P and K was recorded for T2. Similarly the total NPK uptake were in the order as: T1 > T2 > T3 >T0, respectively. Experiential findings revealed that application of NPK after each 20 days are the suitable interval to get high marketable yield and highly bio-fortified and quality tomato crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the selection of tomatoes with a high content of biologically active substances and antioxidant properties at the large green and breaker stage is relevant since mature tomatoes cannot tolerate storage and transportation. For this purpose, 11 tomato genotypes, chosen in a preliminary study in 2018-2020 from the Genetic Collection of Plant Resources of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC), Moscow, Russia, and Tomato Genetics Resource Center (TGRC), the University of California, Davis, USA, for further studies during 2020-2022 for antioxidant pool changes: measuring the contents of chlorophyll, lycopene, β-carotene, ascorbic acid, and lutein. The experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design proceeded in the film unheated greenhouses. The results showed five promising tomato genotypes, i.e., VFN Hi Sugar, VS-420, Paul Robeson, Black Cherry, and VS-410. The genotype Black Cherry fruits with breaker ripeness contained 42% lycopene and 93% β-carotene, while the genotype Paul Robeson at the same stage contained 80% β-carotene. The three other tomato genotypes, viz., VFN Hi Sugar, VS-420, and Paul Robeson, also gave a higher content of ascorbic acid in the fruits at the breaker ripening stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ellagic acid (EA) is a bioactive polyphenol compound with numerous biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antiestrogenic, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. In this research, we investigated the effect of postharvest tomato fruits with EA treatment. Our results showed that at 25°C for 20 days, compared to a control group, the weight loss rate, titratable acidity, and soluble solid concentration of tomato fruits treated with 50 μM EA were lower. The content of soluble protein in the EA-treated group was approximately 1.65 times higher than in the control group, and EA treatment greatly inhibited the changes in lycopene and vitamin C content. Moreover, EA treatment reduced malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage, and the production of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, EA treatment upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes and induced the activities of the antioxidant enzyme. In summary, our results showed that EA could retard senescence and preserve the quality characteristics of harvested tomato fruits via enhancing the antioxidant responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is a great source of bioactive compounds, is important for human health, and is cultivated worldwide. However, the high inputs required for its cultivation must be sustainably managed in order to limit yield losses, thus obtaining high-quality and environmentally friendly production. In this perspective, we compared four biostimulant treatments, i.e., Ascophyllum nodosum extract—Bio; microbial biostimulant containing the micro-organism Trichoderma afroharzianum—Mic; a combination of both—M-B; not treated—Control) and three mulch treatments (biodegradable film Ecovio—ECO; biodegradable film MaterBi®—NOV; bare soil—BS) and evaluated their effects on yield and quality traits in processing tomato. Both biodegradable films elicited a 27.0% yield increase compared to plants grown on bare soil, and biostimulants determined a 23.7% increase over the Control, with the best performance recorded for M-B (+24.8%). Biodegradable MaterBi® film (NOV) was associated with higher total soluble solids (TSS) and firmness values (average of 4.9 °Brix and 1.30 kg cm−2, respectively), even if a significant effect of biostimulants was observed only for the second element. Carotenoid content was higher in non-treated plants grown on bare soil as well as hydrophilic antioxidant activity (AA), but in this case, no differences between biostimulant treatments were recorded. The lipophilic AA in NOV-treated plants was about six and four times higher than observed in BS and ECO treatments, respectively; NOV also caused a 38.7% increase in ascorbic acid content over the Control but was not different from ECO. All biostimulant treatments elicited a 30% increase in phenol content compared to Control plants. Our findings highlight that microbial biostimulants based on A. nodosum extract and T. afroharzianum (both applied singularly and combined) can be considered a sustainable tool for increasing yield and improve some quality traits of processing tomato; in addition, we also confirmed the capability of biodegradable mulches, in particular, MaterBi®, to enhance the agronomic performance of tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic tomato cultivation is growing all over the world due to its healthy functional properties and environmental concerns. Recently, some new varieties with increased functional properties, particularly high lycopene, have been developed. However, few were assessed under organic farming systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate physico-chemical properties and the main bioactive compound contents, as well as lipophilic, hydrophilic and total radical scavenging activities of a recently developed high lycopene tomato variety homozygous for hp-2dg genes (HLT-F71) grown under organic conditions for two non-consecutive years (2019 and 2021) compared to the ordinary control 'Nemador' variety. The lycopene, β-carotene, total phenol, flavonoid, vitamin C, radical scavenging activity and tocopherols were analyzed by using spectrophotometric and HPLC methods, respectively. The high lycopene content variety presented suitable marketable yield, average fruit weight, pH, titratable acidity, firmness and higher °Brix, pulp color than the control. Additionally, it has significantly higher lycopene, β-carotene, total phenol, flavonoid, vitamin C and particularly considerable α-tocopherol contents, as well as radical scavenging activity. The high lycopene tomato variety with hp genes proved to be an effective sustainable variety for enhancing tomato fruit yield and functional properties even under organic grown conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress is a serious limitation to tomato growth and development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Sly-miR164a on tomato growth and fruit nutritional quality under salt stress. The results showed that the root length, fresh weight, plant height, stem diameter and ABA content of miR164a#STTM (knockdown of Sly-miR164a) lines were higher than those of WT and miR164a#OE (overexpression of Sly-miR164a) lines under salt stress. Compared with WT, miR164a#STTM tomato lines exhibited lower ROS accumulation under salt stress. In addition, the fruits of miR164a#STTM tomato lines had higher soluble solids, lycopene, ascorbic acid (ASA) and carotenoid content compared with WT. The study indicated that tomato plants were more sensitive to salt when Sly-miR164a was overexpressed, while knockdown of Sly-miR164a enhanced plant salt tolerance and improved fruit nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress and infection are the main reasons for postponement of wound healing rate. They can potentially lead to serious inflammation and eventually lead to a longer and more painful recovery phase. Although wound dressings based on synthetic materials with antioxidative property have been proved to exhibit remarkable effect in controlling ROS level and improving wound healing, issues, such as high cost in raw materials, complicated procedures, usage of various toxic additives, and potential allergies, have significantly confined further clinical applications. In this study, a novel type of tissue engineering scaffold, based on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicon) and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), was prepared via facile lyophilization and photo cross-link method (SL/GelMA). By taking advantages of various antioxidative components, such as carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamin E, and vitamin C in tomatoes, SL/GelMA can effectively regulate ROS level, relieve the oxidative stress in wound bed, promote cell migration and angiogenesis, contribute to collagen deposition, and thus accelerate the rate of wound enclosure. Along with its high biocompatibility and low allergic potential, we believe that the food-derived wound dressing with facile preparation method, easy accessibility, and high cost-effectiveness can be translated for clinical treatments of various chronic wounds. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crop grown in the world. Identification of better genotypes among the existing germplasm leads to the success of breeding programme. Elite genotypes should be known for our trait of interest. Methods: A field experiment was carried out at Vegetable Experimental Field, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar during Kharif-2018 in which twenty seven genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were evaluated to estimate the performance of genotypes on various quality traits like lycopene content, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids and juice to pulp ratio. Result: Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits under studied. Highest lycopene content was recorded in the genotypes 2015/TODHYB-1, Roma and VRT-19 Whereas highest TSS content was exhibited by Kashi Aman, Roma, Jawahar-99 and Shalimar Hybrid Tomato-1. Highest titrable acidity recorded in Marglobe followed by 2015/TODHYB-4 and Kashi Hemanth. Juice to pulp ratio was highest in the genotypes namely, 2016/TODVAR-5 and Kashi Vishesh. Hence, the best performed genotypes can be used as such in promotion of tomato production programme as elite germplasm lines/varieties or may be recommended for commercial cultivation after testing them over years and locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Commercial rootstocks tested were susceptible to salinity. • The accessions RVTC 66 and PI 127,826 and their hybrid were susceptible to salinity. • The commercial rootstocks Guardião, Muralha, protetor were susceptible to salinity. • LA 716 and their hybrids were rootstocks resistant to salinity. • F 1 (RVTC 66 × LA 716) hybrid was the most promising rootstock for giuliana cultivar. The grafting on tomatoes with salinity-resistant rootstocks is an alternative practice for saline soil fields that has been proven efficient. The use of grafting on tomato plants with salinity-resistant rootstock enhances growth and fruit production in saline conditions. However, in South America, there are a few studies aimed to investigate grafting within saline conditions. Additionally, it is necessary to explore the variability of tomatoes to identify promising rootstocks. The commercial cultivar Giuliana was used as a vegetative material, that is being grafted in ten rootstocks: commercial cultivars Guardião, Muralha, Protetor, and Magnet, accessions RVTC 66 (S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme), LA 716 (S. pennellii) and PI 127,826 (S. habrochaites var. hirsutum) and, interspecific F 1 hybrids RVTC 66 × LA 716, RVTC 66 × PI 127,826 and LA 716 × PI 127,826. Giuliana was also self-grafted (control treatment). The plants were submitted to study two treatments: without NaCl during fertigation (EC: 1.01 dS m−1 and 1.75 dS m−1) and in the presence of NaCl (EC of 3.5 and 7.0 dS m−1) for vegetative development and reproductive periods, respectively. The growth, physiological, productive, and post-harvest parameters were evaluated. The rootstocks Guardião, Muralha, Protetor, Magnet, RVTC 66, PI 127,826, and F 1 (RVTC 66 × PI 127,826) were susceptible to salinity. In contrast, the use of LA 716 accession and its F 1 (RVTC 66 × LA 716) and F 1 (LA 716 × PI 127,826) hybrids tolerated salinity. However, it is recommended to use the F 1 (RVTC 66 × LA 716) hybrid with a higher productive performance than the other rootstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is considered the world's most important crop owing to its high nutritional profile and flavor. However, its limited shelf life and post-harvest losses impact its marketing. The present study investigated the impact of aloe vera gel-based edible coating on tomato's post-harvest quality under storage at 8°C for 12 days. The aloe vera-based coating solutions were made with varying concentrations of extracted gel that varied from 0 to 60% with inclusion of chitosan (0.5 to 2%). Physiological, chemical, nutritional, and microbiological analysis of coated and uncoated tomatoes was carried out during storage. It was found that uncoated (control) tomatoes showed maximum weight loss (5.85%), total soluble solids (5.3 ± 0.20 0Brix), change in pH (5.6 ± 0.26), microbial count (3.57 ± 0.12 log cfu/g), decrease in ascorbic acid content (19.23 ± 0.92 mg/100 g), and acidity (0.54 ± 0.01%) as compared to aloe vera-based coatings. However, the coating formulation comprising aloe vera gel (60%) + chitosan (2%) performed much better than other prepared coatings in delaying the weight loss (2.1%), total soluble solid (3.7 ± 0.16 0Brix), change in pH (4.6 ± 0.21), ascorbic acid value (30.47 ± 1.31 mg/100 g), acidity (0.83 ± 0.04%), and microbial load (1.6 ± 0.08 log cfu/g). In addition, it also maintained firmness and color of tomatoes during storage of 12 days. Conclusively, the application of aloe vera-based coating (60% gel) with the inclusion of chitosan (2%) may be proposed for preserving the post-harvest quality of the tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapefruit peel essential oil (CpEO) was loaded on chitosan (Cs) nano-biopolymer by ionic gelation method and its effect on physicochemical properties of cherry tomatoes was evaluated during 18 days of storage at 10 °C. The highest loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency were obtained from the weight ratio of 1:0.25 Cs to oil. TEM, DLS and FTIR were used to characterize the nanoparticles. The release of the oil from the nanoparticles followed the Fickian diffusion model. CpEO-CsNPs-CO and CpEO-CsNPs-RE treatments reduced ethylene production and respiration rate and indicated a significant and promising effect on increasing the level of antioxidant enzymes (CAT and POD), slowing down the loss of ascorbic acid and total phenolic content and consequently, maintaining antioxidant capacity. These treatments prevented a rapid decline in TSS and TA and an increase in lycopene and MDA level, and maintained the firmness, weight, and color of the fruits throughout storage period. [Display omitted] • The active release of grapefruit oil was very effective in maintaining the quality of cherry tomatoes. • CpEO-CsNPs decreased the ethylene production and respiration rate in cherry tomato. • CpEO-CsNPs increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in cherry tomato. • CpEO-CsNPs decreased the loss of AA and TPC and preserved antioxidant capacity. • CpEO-CsNPs decreased the loss of firmness and changes in fruit color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is a vegetable crop commonly grown in Nigeria and consumed by most people. It contains vitamins and vital nutrients that are essential for good health. This study was conducted to determine the effect of magnetization of irrigation water on the growth, yield and nutritional qualities of tomatoes under deficit irrigation. Tomato seeds ('Roma VF' and 'UC 82B' varieties) were planted in 96 buckets (11 liters capacity), 48 buckets for magnetized water (MW) and 48 buckets for non-magnetized water (NMW), grown in a greenhouse and harvested 82 days after planting. The irrigation water was treated with 30 pieces of 10×25×50 mm neodymium magnets (1.2 Tesla). The tomato plants were subjected to deficit irrigation to determine the effect on the performance of tomatoes at 100% (1 liter), 80% (0.8 liters), 60% (0.60 liters) and 50% (0.50 liter) water requirement. Each treatment was replicated 6 times for both MW and NMW. The MW increased the growth of 'Roma VF' and 'UC 82B' varieties by 5.44-38.10% and the stem girth by 21.13-49.01%. MW increased the yield of 'Roma VF' variety by 110.00%, 36.00%, 6.26% and 24.00% for 100%, 80%, 60% and 50% of water application, respectively but increased the yield of 'UC 82B' variety by 56.52% for 100% water application. MW also improved vitamin A and C content by 7.89-27.94% and 0.45-19.06%, respectively. The concentrations of Lead were slightly higher in the tomato irrigated with MW than in the NMW but values of other heavy metals were not consistent and very close for both MW and NMW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombination of commercially available hybrids could produce desirable segregants that act as sources of new alleles for tomato breeding. Seven commercial single cross (SC) hybrids of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were crossed in a half diallel fashion to obtain 21 double cross hybrids (DC) to estimate combining ability, mode of gene action and extent of heterobeltiosis for fruit yield, processing qualities and tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) disease severity traits. Predominance of non-additive gene action occurred in the control for all characters except for total soluble solids (TSS) content in fruit that was conditioned by both additive and non-additive gene action. Improvement of most traits in DC hybrids over SC hybrids occurred. Maximum heterotic effect in DC hybrids was for vitamin C content followed by lycopene content, fruit yield per plant, titratable acidity content, number of fruit per plant and percent disease index of ToLCV. Two good combiners, 'PAN-1286' and 'Devi' among SC hybrids were identified based on general combining ability effects and average performance. Commercial exploitation of DC hybrids, 'TO-1458 × L-37' and 'NS-501 × TO-1458' following multilocational testing in the tropics and subtropics might be useful. High yielding, ToLCV disease tolerant DC hybrids could be exploited in segregating generations to identify elite multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, an experimental investigation and mathematical modeling of tomato waste hot air drying (HAD) were conducted for drying temperatures of 50 and 60°C, and air velocities of 1 and 2 m s−1. Kinetics, mathematical modeling, and optimization of biological properties using response surface methodology (RSM) were investigated. Increasing the drying temperature from 50 to 60°C shortened the drying time by 5 and 20 min, respectively, for 1 and 2 m s−1 air velocities. The proposed mathematical model with the highest correlation coefficient of 0.9997 well described the moisture variation of tomato waste. Significantly high diffusivity was observed with values of 1.24 × 10−6 and 1.67 × 10−6 m2 s−1. Obtained analysis showed an increase in polyphenol (PPT) and flavonoids (TFC) and a decrease in lycopene content (LYC) and ascorbic acid (AA). Phenomenological modeling and RSM methodology indicated that both drying temperature and air velocity affected the content of TFC, LYC, and AA, whereas, for PPT, the temperature has a positive effect in contrast with negative of air velocity. Optimum drying time, PPT, TFC, LYC, and AA are 44.6 min, 227 mg GAE/g, 32.2 mg GAE/g, 517.92 mg/100 g, and 1.91 mg AAE/100 g, respectively. Optimal drying temperature and velocity were, respectively, 56.7°C and 1 m s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sri Lanka has a vast variety of vegetables. Although the nutritional and medicinal properties of pumpkin and tomato are acknowledged, their consumption as beverage is limited due to their lack of taste. Blending these vegetables with spice extracts is considered a more nutritious alternative when added to beverages. An effort was completed to determine the storage stability of vegetable squash made using different proportion of tomato, pumpkin and ginger. Considering the findings of several preliminary studies, five formulations in various mixes of tomato and pumpkin, were chosen. The highest scores for all the sensory parameters and chemical characters were obtained by formulation (T1) 50% tomato + 50% pumpkin followed by (T2) 75% tomato +25% pumpkin. The best combination was improved using 1 % ginger to form T3 (50% tomato+ 50% pumpkin+ 1% ginger). The most three promising treatments (T1, T2 and T3) were chosen for a storage experiment at 30°C and 70-75% relative humidity. Compositional analysis and sensory assessments were done. In chemical analysis, it was found that variances in the scores of pH, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, total sugar and reducing sugar were significant (p< 0.05). Squash formulations showed an increasing trend in titratable acidity (0.43 % -0.64 %), pH (3.37 - 4.08), total sugar (11.78 % - 37.04 %), reducing sugar (4.42 % -31.96 %) and a decreasing trend in ascorbic acid (308.23 mg/100 ml - 79.97 mg/100 ml) and total soluble solids (25.05 -24.3o Brix) as a function of storage time. Sensory analysis revealed significant differences (p<0.05) across formulations for organoleptic characteristics, such as aroma, taste and overall acceptability. The composite vegetable squash T3 was chosen as the best formulation based on the findings of physicochemical and sensory attributes. It could be stored for 12 weeks without any significant variations and prolonged shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In developing countries like Nigeria, postharvest loss of fruits and vegetables have been a serious problem as they become unavailable outside their peak seasons due to poor preservation techniques. Methods. This study evaluated the improvement of the storage-life and nutrient retention of tomato and eggplant fruits via the application of chitosan-starch edible coat. The dip coating method was used to coat the fruit samples while standard procedures (AOAC methods) were applied in determining the shelf-life and nutrient quality of the fruit samples. Results. The results of the shelf-life study showed that the coated fruits were still fresh at day 12 of storage. A significant change in protein, fiber and carbohydrate content was observed for coated tomato (5.34, 3.2 and 26.55%, respectively) compared to the uncoated tomato (24.8, 11.4 and 62.77% respectively). There was a significant difference between the change in ascorbic acid content in coated (6.28%) and uncoated (17.11%) eggplant. In tomato fruit, a significant difference existed in the ascorbic acid content of the coated (0.59%) and uncoated (7.46%) fruit, as well as the beta-carotene level (0.81 and 7.98%, respectively). Conclusion. It is therefore noteworthy that edible chitosan--starch composite coating may be instrumental in curbing the challenges of fruit deterioration with concomitant retention of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is a widely distributed, cultivated, and commercialized vegetable crop. It contains antioxidant constituents including lycopene, tocopherols, vitamin C, γ-aminobutyric acid, phenols, and flavonoids. This study determined the contents of the antioxidant components and activities of the pulp with skin of ten regular, six medium-sized, and two small cherry tomato cultivars at red ripe (BR + 10) stage cultivated in Korea. The relationships among the Hunter color coordinates, the content of each component, and antioxidant activities were measured by Pearson's correlation coefficients. As the a* value increased, the carotenoid and vitamin C contents increased, while the L* value, hue angle and tocopherol content decreased. As the b* value increased, the lycopene and total carotenoid contents decreased, and the flavonoid content in the hydrophilic extracts increased. The contents of vitamin C and total carotenoids including lycopene showed high positive correlations with the DPPH radical scavenging activities of both the lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts. Tocopherols and total phenolics in the hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts were not major positive contributors to the antioxidant activity. These findings suggest the quality standards for consumer requirements and inputs for on-going research for the development of better breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change in recent years has affected crop production to a greater extent. To overcome these effects, climate-resilient varieties are needed. Tomato is a versatile crop. However, its growth is hindered when it is affected by drought stress. Hence, a variability analysis of tomatoes under drought stress was carried out at Horticulture College and Research Institute, Coimbatore. Variability studies revealed that all the crosses for all parameters exhibited higher phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) values than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), indicating the influence of environmental effects. For all the crosses, viz., EC169966 × LE118, EC177824 × LE27 and Arka Ashish × LE27, high PCV and high GCV were recorded for characteristics including fruit number per plant, yield per plant, lycopene content and peroxidase activity. Characteristics such as the number of flowers per cluster, fruit number per plant, individual weight of fruit, yield per plant, relative water content, proline content, peroxidase activity and ascorbic acid content recorded higher heritability coupled with high genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM). Thus, direct selection of the above parameters improves drought-tolerant breeding programs in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study determined the effects of different storage temperatures and packaging on the physicochemical changes and antioxidant properties of tomatoes during storage in two tomato species (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. tomato and Solanum lycopersicum var. Cerasiforme cherry tomato). Samples underwent storage process with different temperatures of 4 °C and room temperature (25 °C); with or without polyethylene plastic packaging. The physicochemical changes studied include weight, color, firmness, and total soluble solids (TSS), while the antioxidant properties studied include lycopene content, ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content (TPC), and free radical scavenging activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH), measured at three-time points (day 1, 8, 15). Based on the two-way ANOVA, both temperature and packaging factors play an important role in the physicochemical changes and antioxidant properties of both tomato species. For tomatoes, the temperature had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all measurements, except for redness value (a*) and ascorbic acid content (p>0.05). While packaging had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all measurements, excluding the ascorbic acid and TPC (p>0.05). For cherry tomatoes, the temperature had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all measurements, not including ascorbic acid content (p>0.05). Whereas packaging had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all measurements, except for TPC (p>0.05). For both samples studied, temperature and packaging factors had significant interactions (p<0.05) on all measurements, except for ascorbic acid and TPC (p>0.05). In conclusion, storage at a low temperature of 4 °C with the packaging was found to be able to maintain the physicochemical and antioxidant properties in both tomato species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]