Characterization of tomato genetic resources in the function of breeding

Tomato is one of the most important species belonging to the Solanaceae family. Focusing on the importance of tomato in human nutrition and the problem of narrowed genetic variability, the aim of the study was to assess morphological and chemical diversity in IFVCNS germplasm collection. Twenty genotypes were analysed for the morphological and chemical fruit traits: average mass (g), length (cm), diameter (cm), pericarp thickness (mm), locules number, moisture content (%), total soluble solids (°Brix), ash content (%), total acidity (%) and pH value. Selected plant material for analysis included: landraces, traditional varieties, breeding lines and commercial varieties. Differences among tomato genotypes in all fruit traits were determined. Fruit mass and locules number had the highest coefficient of variation. The least differences between genotypes were observed in the fruit moisture content. Four principal components accounted for 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 first component was defined by fruit length, diameter and mass. The second component was correlated with pericarp thickness and locules number, and the third with moisture content, ash content and total soluble solids. Based on the cluster analysis, genotypes were classified into three groups which were in agreement with the PCA groups. Hybridization between genotypes from different groups was proposed in order to create new hybrids and varieties and to increase tomato germplasm diversity. By crossing those genotypes, improved recombinations in morphological and chemical traits can be expected.