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Intermating between genetically diverse tomatoes could provide information on the underlying biology as a source of new alleles for phytonutrient contents and tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) disease tolerance in cherry tomato [Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Dunnal) A. Gray]. The study determined combining ability effects, heterosis and gene action for conditioning 19 quantitative traits involving crosses between anthocyanin rich (Aft gene) tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) lines and 7 breeding lines of nutritionally rich cherry tomato [S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Dunnal) A. Gray]. An overwhelming response of non-additive gene action in controlling expression of most traits was evident. Purple tomato line "Bidhan Purple" and the cherry tomato lines "Cherry Round Yellow Big Fruit" and "18/ToCVAR-2" could be potential genitors for cherry tomato breeding. Based on combining ability, average heterosis, and mean performance, the promising hybrids: "Alisha Craig Aft ×18/TOCVAR-2," "Bidhan Purple × 18/TOCVAR-2" and "Alisha Craig Aft × Cherry Round Yellow Big Fruit" were identified in terms of phytonutrient contents and ToLCV disease tolerance. Partial, to over-dominance, reaction in inheritance of most traits reflects the genetic basis of heterosis. Promising cherry tomato hybrids could be exploited following appropriate testing or could be used in segregating generations to produce line-bred cultivars that are ToLCV disease-tolerant and high in phytonutrient contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: 'Vegetative' and 'generative' tomato rootstock types have been proposed based on their different effects on tomato scion growth performance; however, their impacts on fruit quality have not been characterized. No study has been conducted in which the effects of rootstock on grape tomato quality attributes were assessed using sensory and instrumental methods of evaluation. Here, we conducted two experiments to examine the influence of 'DR0141TX', 'Estamino', and 'Multifort' rootstocks (vegetative, generative, and uncharacterized, respectively) on fruit quality properties of determinate and indeterminate grape tomato scions under organic production in high tunnels, including color, size, firmness, dry matter content, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), pH, and consumer sensory attributes. RESULTS: In both experiments, grafting 'Sweet Hearts' indeterminate grape tomato onto 'DR0141TX', 'Estamino', or 'Multifort' increased fruit size and led to negligible effects on sensory attributes and instrumental measurements of fruit quality attributes. For 'BHN 1022' determinate grape tomato, rootstocks did not exhibit any major impact on fruit quality attributes in Experiment 1. However, fruit quality was compromised by grafting per se and rootstocks, especially 'Multifort', in Experiment 2, as reflected by reduced SSC, TA, and SSC/TA and lower scores for overall appearance, overall acceptability, tomato flavor, overall texture, and sweetness. CONCLUSION: In general, 'vegetative' and 'generative' rootstocks showed comparable effects on sensory evaluations and instrumental measurements of grape tomato quality attributes for both indeterminate and determinate scions. More research is needed to better characterize rootstock effects on fruit quality, including the flavor‐related compounds under different growing conditions. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unreasonable application of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer on cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) has resulted in serious environmental threats. The advantages of application of organic manure combined with inorganic N fertilizer for vegetable production systems have been reported widely, but there are still few studies on cherry tomato production. Therefore, this study aims to determine the impact of a combined application of organic manure (in form of chicken manure at different application rate of 0 and 40 t ha−1) with inorganic N fertilizer (in form of urea at various N application rates of 0, 160 and 320 kg N ha−1) on the fruit yield and quality of cherry tomato across two seasons. Results showed that inorganic N application exhibited positive effects on fruit yield and its associated components of cherry tomato. However, there was no significant difference in terms of fruit yield and its associated components between the two N rates of inorganic N (160 and 320 kg N ha−1), indicating that fruit yield is not improved significantly when the N application rate exceeds some threshold. Under chicken manure application treatments, however, an increased N rate did not show a positive effect on fruit yield. Importantly, chicken manure application has greatly increased fruit yield and fruit quality (represented by membership function indicator) by 43% and 23%, respectively in comparison with zero manure application. In particular, the soluble protein and titratable acid were increased by 124% and 118%, respectively. Overall, these results suggested that chemical N fertilizers could be largely replaced with chicken manure. Furthermore, the combined application of organic with inorganic N fertilizers seems to be a promising management practice for reducing the reliance on use of inorganic N fertilizer, while mitigating the environmental burden for cherry tomato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant biostimulants are microorganisms (PGPR) and/or products obtained from different organic substances that positively affect plant growth and efficiency and reduce the negative effects of abiotic challenges. Effects of biostimulants on the plant growth, yield, mineral content, antioxidant enzyme activity, H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA), sucrose, and proline contents of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme L.) grown in soils with two different characteristics were investigated during a pot study under greenhouse conditions. Soil I was a fertile routinely vegetable-cultivated soil. Soil II had high salinity, high CaCO3 content, and low organic matter content. Commercial biostimulant products Powhumus® (PH), Huminbio Microsense Seed® (SC), Huminbio Microsense Bio® (RE), and Fulvagra® (FU) were used as seed coatings and/or drench solutions. All biostimulant treatments improved the plant growth and yield compared with the control in both soils. All biostimulant applications were more effective in soil II than in soil I. RE was the most effective application for mineral content in soil I, whereas FU was the most effective in soil II. Antioxidant activity, H2O2, MDA, and proline contents were decreased in both soils when biostimulants were used compared with the control. Peroxide (POD) activity was greater with SC1 in soil II. The RE treatment increased the sucrose content in soil II. In conclusion, single and combined use of high-purity fulvic acid and PGPR had positive effects on the growth of cherry tomato in fertile soil and under stressed conditions.

The addition of high nutrient concentrations to irrigation water increases its electrical conductivity by contributing to its salinity, resulting in crop yield losses. However, in cases where stress conditions are not observed, silicon can act as a biostimulant and promote vegetative growth, fruit quality, and fruit production. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of fertigation with different electrical conductivity levels associated with potassium silicate on the production parameters of cherry tomatoes grown in a protected environment. The study was conducted in Bom Jesus - PI, and arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and a 6 x 2 factorial corresponding to six electrical conductivity levels (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 dS m-1) in the absence and presence of silicon (2 mmol L-1). The variables analyzed were the number of fruits per plant, fresh and dry fruit biomass, dry biomass of stem, leaves, bunches, root, shoot, and whole plant; and chemical quality of fruits (pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and the ratio of total soluble solids to titratable acidity. Silicon supplementation increased the root and shoot dry masses and improved fruits quality, thus increasing cherry tomato production (Sweet Heaven hybrid) regardless of the electrical conductivity levels.

Saline water is an alternative to the low availability of high-quality water in semi-arid regions. However, although these water sources negatively affect most crops, their use allied to management practices aiming to mitigate the effects of salts has been increasingly studied, including nitrogen fertilization. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the growth and physicochemical characterization of cherry tomato plants irrigated with saline water and nitrogen fertilization. The experiment was conducted under field conditions at the Center of Sciences and Agrifood Technology of the Federal University of Campina Grande in Pombal - PB, using a randomized block design arranged as a 5 × 5 factorial referring to five electrical conductivity levels of irrigation water - ECw (0.3, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, and 4.3 dS m-1) and five nitrogen doses - ND (50, 75, 100, 125, and 150% of the N recommendation), with three replications. The nitrogen doses did not mitigate the effects of salt stress on plant height and stem diameter of cherry tomato. However, irrigation with the electrical conductivity of 3.3 dS m-1 increased the soluble solids of cherry tomato fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological processes underlying fruit ripening can lead to different electrical signatures at each ripening stage, making it possible to classify tomato fruit through the analysis of electrical signals. Here, the electrical activity of tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) during ripening was investigated as tissue voltage variations, and Machine Learning (ML) techniques were used for the classification of different ripening stages. Tomato fruit was harvested at the mature green stage and placed in a Faraday's cage under laboratory-controlled conditions. Two electrodes per fruit were inserted 1 cm apart from each other. The measures were carried out continuously until the entire fruits reached the light red stage. The time series were analyzed by the following techniques: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Wavelet Transform, Power Spectral Density (PSD), and Approximate Entropy. Descriptive analysis from FFT, PSD, and Wavelet Transform were used for PCA (Principal Component Analysis). Finally, ApEn, PCA1, PCA2, and PCA3 were obtained. These features were used in ML analyses for looking for classifiable patterns of the three different ripening stages: mature green, breaker, and light red. The results showed that it is possible to classify the ripening stages using the fruit's electrical activity. It was also observed, using precision, sensitivity, and F1-score techniques, that the breaker stage was the most classifiable among all stages. It was found a more accurate distinction between mature green × breaker than between breaker × light red. The ML techniques used seem to be a novel tool for classifying ripening stages. The features obtained from electrophysiological time series have the potential to be used for supervised training, being able to help in more accurate classification of fruit ripening stages.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Unreasonable application of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer on cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) has resulted in serious environmental threats. The advantages of application of organic manure combined with inorganic N fertilizer for vegetable production systems have been reported widely, but there are still few studies on cherry tomato production. Therefore, this study aims to determine the impact of a combined application of organic manure (in form of chicken manure at different application rate of 0 and 40 t ha−1) with inorganic N fertilizer (in form of urea at various N application rates of 0, 160 and 320 kg N ha−1) on the fruit yield and quality of cherry tomato across two seasons. Results showed that inorganic N application exhibited positive effects on fruit yield and its associated components of cherry tomato. However, there was no significant difference in terms of fruit yield and its associated components between the two N rates of inorganic N (160 and 320 kg N ha−1), indicating that fruit yield is not improved significantly when the N application rate exceeds some threshold. Under chicken manure application treatments, however, an increased N rate did not show a positive effect on fruit yield. Importantly, chicken manure application has greatly increased fruit yield and fruit quality (represented by membership function indicator) by 43% and 23%, respectively in comparison with zero manure application. In particular, the soluble protein and titratable acid were increased by 124% and 118%, respectively. Overall, these results suggested that chemical N fertilizers could be largely replaced with chicken manure. Furthermore, the combined application of organic with inorganic N fertilizers seems to be a promising management practice for reducing the reliance on use of inorganic N fertilizer, while mitigating the environmental burden for cherry tomato production.

Plant biostimulants are microorganisms (PGPR) and/or products obtained from different organic substances that positively affect plant growth and efficiency and reduce the negative effects of abiotic challenges. Effects of biostimulants on the plant growth, yield, mineral content, antioxidant enzyme activity, H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA), sucrose, and proline contents of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme L.) grown in soils with two different characteristics were investigated during a pot study under greenhouse conditions. Soil I was a fertile routinely vegetable-cultivated soil. Soil II had high salinity, high CaCO3 content, and low organic matter content. Commercial biostimulant products Powhumus® (PH), Huminbio Microsense Seed® (SC), Huminbio Microsense Bio® (RE), and Fulvagra® (FU) were used as seed coatings and/or drench solutions. All biostimulant treatments improved the plant growth and yield compared with the control in both soils. All biostimulant applications were more effective in soil II than in soil I. RE was the most effective application for mineral content in soil I, whereas FU was the most effective in soil II. Antioxidant activity, H2O2, MDA, and proline contents were decreased in both soils when biostimulants were used compared with the control. Peroxide (POD) activity was greater with SC1 in soil II. The RE treatment increased the sucrose content in soil II. In conclusion, single and combined use of high-purity fulvic acid and PGPR had positive effects on the growth of cherry tomato in fertile soil and under stressed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato steroidal glycoalkaloids (tSGAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived metabolites uniquely produced by the tomato clade. These compounds provide protection against biotic stress due to their fungicidal and insecticidal properties. Although commonly reported as being anti-nutritional, both in vitro as well as pre-clinical animal studies have indicated that some tSGAs may have a beneficial impact on human health. However, the paucity of quantitative extraction and analysis methods presents a major obstacle for determining the biological and nutritional functions of tSGAs. To address this problem, we developed and validated the first comprehensive extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) quantification method for tSGAs. Our extraction method allows for up to 16 samples to be extracted simultaneously in 20 min with 93.0 ± 6.8 and 100.8 ± 13.1% recovery rates for tomatidine and alpha-tomatine, respectively. Our UHPLC-MS/MS method was able to chromatographically separate analytes derived from 18 tSGA peaks representing 9 different tSGA masses, as well as two internal standards, in 13 min. Tomato steroidal glycoalkaloids that did not have available standards were annotated using high resolution mass spectrometry as well as product ion scans that provided fragmentation data. Lastly, we utilized our method to survey a variety of commonly consumed tomato-based products. Total tSGA concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 3.4 mg/serving and represent some of the first reported tSGA concentrations in tomato-based products. Our validation studies indicate that our method is sensitive, robust, and able to be used for a variety of applications where concentrations of biologically relevant tSGAs need to be quantified.

Tomato steroidal glycoalkaloids (tSGAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived metabolites uniquely produced by the tomato clade. These compounds provide protection against biotic stress due to their fungicidal and insecticidal properties. Although commonly reported as being anti-nutritional, both in vitro as well as pre-clinical animal studies have indicated that some tSGAs may have a beneficial impact on human health. However, the paucity of quantitative extraction and analysis methods presents a major obstacle for determining the biological and nutritional functions of tSGAs. To address this problem, we developed and validated the first comprehensive extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) quantification method for tSGAs. Our extraction method allows for up to 16 samples to be extracted simultaneously in 20 min with 93.0 ± 6.8 and 100.8 ± 13.1% recovery rates for tomatidine and alpha-tomatine, respectively. Our UHPLC-MS/MS method was able to chromatographically separate analytes derived from 18 tSGA peaks representing 9 different tSGA masses, as well as two internal standards, in 13 min. Tomato steroidal glycoalkaloids that did not have available standards were annotated using high resolution mass spectrometry as well as product ion scans that provided fragmentation data. Lastly, we utilized our method to survey a variety of commonly consumed tomato-based products. Total tSGA concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 3.4 mg/serving and represent some of the first reported tSGA concentrations in tomato-based products. Our validation studies indicate that our method is sensitive, robust, and able to be used for a variety of applications where concentrations of biologically relevant tSGAs need to be quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cherry tomato [Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Dunnal) A. Gray] has the potential for improvement through heterosis breeding, which can be further utilized for the development of desirable recombinants. However, genetic control of yield, fruit quality, and disease severity traits are not well known. Six phenotypically diverse parents were crossed in half-diallel mating design to determine the extent of heterobeltiosis, mode of gene action, combining ability effects, and dominance effects for 18 quantitative traits to produce information that could lead to the development of improved genotypes. The predictability ratio indicated an overwhelming response of non-additive gene action in controlling the expression of most traits studied. Based on general combining ability effects, and average performance, genitors '16/TOCVAR-1ʹ and '16/TOCVAR-3ʹ could be potential donor parents in breeding. Based on average performance, heterosis manifested, and specific combining ability effects, crosses '16/TOCVAR-1 × 16/TOCVAR-3ʹ and '16/TOCVAR-1 × 16/TOCVAR-4ʹ were best in respect to yield, nutritional quality, and level of field tolerance against leaf curl virus disease under tropical and sub-tropical conditions. Partial- to over-dominance reactions for the inheritance of fruit yield, and other economically important traits, reflect the genetic basis of heterosis. Commercially exploitable cherry tomato hybrids with high antioxidant activity, tolerance to leaf curl virus disease, could be developed with the involvement of a single parent tolerant to this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of substrates on the growth and yield of Cascade and Samambaia cherry tomato cultivars under protected environment. A completely randomized experimental design with six treatments and four replications was adopted. The treatments consisted of six substrates resulting from the combination of soil (CS), bovine manure (BM), rice husk (RH) and rice hull ash (RA), in the proportions: S1 - 70% SC + 10% BM + 10% RH + 10% RA; S2 - 60% SC + 20% BM + 10% RH + 10% RA; S3 - 50% SC + 30% BM + 10% RH + 10% RA; S4 - 60% SC + 30% BM + 10% RH; S5 - 70% SC + 20% BM + 10% RH; and S6 - 100% SC. Plant growth, yield and development parameters were evaluated. Cherry tomato growth and yield changed according to the substrate characteristics. The substrate composed by soil was not efficient, presenting the lowest values for all the vegetative and reproductive parameters studied. The substrates made from alternative ecologically based residues are interesting and alternative sources for tomato cultivation aiming at the reuse of the matter and the sustainability of the production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision irrigation is essential to improve water use efficiency (WUE), defined as the amount of biomass produced per unit of water used by plants. Our objective is to evaluate the effect of different soil volumetric water content (VWC) in plant growth, fruit yield, quality, and WUE of cherry tomatoes grown in a greenhouse. We tested four VWC thresholds (0.23, 0.30, 0.37, and 0.44 m3 m−3) to trigger a drip irrigation system in two tomato cultivars (‘Sweet Heaven’ and ‘Mascot F1’). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. We used capacitance sensors connected to an open-source, low-cost platform to monitor and control the irrigation in real-time based on demand. Plants were watered every time the soil VWC dropped below the set thresholds. The treatment with VWC 0.44 m3 m−3 resulted in the highest fruit yield, with 102.10% higher WUE when compared to the VWC 0.23 m3 m−3 in both cultivars. Fruit quality traits such as longitudinal and equatorial diameter increased asymptotically with soil water content. In contrast, treatments with deficit irrigation increased the fruit soluble solids by 15.73% in both cultivars. These results strongly suggest that accurate control of the soil VWC is essential to modulate the fruit yield and quality attributes in tomatoes produced in the greenhouse.

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Key message: Found a trans-splicing of PHYTOENE SYNTHASE 1 alters tomato fruit color by map-based cloning, functional complementation and RACE providing an insight into fruit color development. Color is an important fruit quality trait and a major determinant of the economic value of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Fruit color inheritance in a yellow-fruited cherry tomato (cv. No. 22), named yellow-fruited tomato 2 (yft2), was shown to be controlled by a single recessive gene, YFT2. The YFT2 gene was mapped in a 95.7 kb region on chromosome 3, and the candidate gene, PHYTOENE SYNTHASE 1 (PSY1), was confirmed by functional complementation analysis. Constitutive over expression of PSY1 in yft2 increased the accumulation of carotenoids and resulted in a red fruit color, while no causal mutation was detected in the YFT2 allele of yft2, compared with red-fruited SL1995 cherry tomato or cultivated variety (cv. M82). Expression of YFT2 3′ region in yft2 was significantly lower than in SL1995, and further studies revealed a difference in YFT2 post-transcriptional processing in yft2 compared with SL1995 and cv. M82, resulting in a longer YFT2 transcript. The alternatively trans-spliced allele of YFT2 in yft2 is predicted to encode a novel LT-YFT2 protein of 432 amino acid (AA) residues, compared to the 412 AA YFT2 protein of SL1995. The trans-spliced event also resulted in significantly down regulated expression of YFT2 in yft2 tomato, and the YFT2 allele suppressed expression of the downstream genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and carotenoids synthesis by a mechanism of the feed-forward regulation. In conclusion, we found that trans-splicing of YFT2 alters tomato fruit color, providing new insights into fruit color development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Tomato plants chitosan-elicited to verify its Cucumber mosaic virus control efficacy. • Viral titer, plant photosynthetic performance and gene expression were investigated. • Chitosan reduced viral load, improved gas exchange and up-regulated PAL5 expression. • Virus alone did not significantly affect CEVI-1, NPR1, PSY2 and PAL5 expressions. • Chitosan treatment elicited plant defense responses against viral infection. Abstract The control of plant diseases by inducing plant resistance responses represents an interesting solution to avoid yield losses and protect the natural environment. Hence, the intertwined relationships between host, pathogen and inducer are increasingly subject of investigations. Here, we report the efficacy of chitosan-elicited defense responses in Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme plants against Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Chitosan was applied via foliar spray before the CMV inoculation to verify its effectiveness as a preventive treatment against the viral infection. Virus accumulation, photosynthetic performance, as well as genes encoding for proteins affecting resistance responses and biosynthetic pathways, were investigated. It was observed a significant reduction of CMV accumulation in chitosan-treated plants that were successively infected with CMV, compared to only CMV-infected ones (up to 100%). Similarly, a positive effect of chitosan on gas exchange dynamics was revealed. The analysis of gene expression (CEVI-1 , NPR1 , PSY2 and PAL5) suggested the occurrence of chitosan-induced, systemic acquired resistance-related responses associated with a readjustment of the plant's oxidative status. In addition, the absence of deleterious symptoms in chitosan-treated successively CMV-infected plants, confirmed that chitosan can be used as a powerful control agent. Our data indicate that chitosan, when preventively applied, is able to elicit defense responses in tomato to control CMV infection. Such finding may be recommended to protect the tomato fruit yields as well as other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato susceptibility/resistance to stem canker disease caused by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici and its pathogenic factor AAL-toxin is determined by the presence of the Asc1 gene. Several cultivars of commercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum, SLL) are reported to have a mutation in Asc1, resulting in their susceptibility to AAL-toxin. We evaluated 119 ancestral tomato accessions including S. pimpinellifolium (SP), S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (SLC) and S. lycopersicum var. lycopersicum “jitomate criollo” (SLJ) for AAL-toxin susceptibility. Three accessions, SP PER018805, SLC PER018894, and SLJ M5-3, were susceptible to AAL-toxin. SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 had a two-nucleotide deletion (nt 854_855del) in Asc1 identical to that found in SLL cv. Aichi-first. Another mutation (nt 931_932insT) that may confer AAL-toxin susceptibility was identified in SP PER018805. In the phylogenetic tree based on the 18 COSII sequences, a clade (S3) is composed of SP, including the AAL-toxin susceptible PER018805, and SLC. AAL-toxin susceptible SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 were in Clade S2 with SLL cultivars. As SLC is thought to be the ancestor of SLL, and SLJ is an intermediate tomato between SLC and SLL, Asc1s with/without the mutation seem to have been inherited throughout the history of tomato domestication and breeding.

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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the required sample size for estimation of the Pearson coefficient of correlation between cherry tomato variables. Two uniformity tests were set up in a protected environment in the spring/summer of 2014. The observed variables in each plant were mean fruit length, mean fruit width, mean fruit weight, number of bunches, number of fruits per bunch, number of fruits, and total weight of fruits, with calculation of the Pearson correlation matrix between them. Sixty eight sample sizes were planned for one greenhouse and 48 for another, with the initial sample size of 10 plants, and the others were obtained by adding five plants. For each planned sample size, 3000 estimates of the Pearson correlation coefficient were obtained through bootstrap re-samplings with replacement. The sample size for each correlation coefficient was determined when the 95% confidence interval amplitude value was less than or equal to 0.4. Obtaining estimates of the Pearson correlation coefficient with high precision is difficult for parameters with a weak linear relation. Accordingly, a larger sample size is necessary to estimate them. Linear relations involving variables dealing with size and number of fruits per plant have less precision. To estimate the coefficient of correlation between productivity variables of cherry tomato, with a confidence interval of 95% equal to 0.4, it is necessary to sample 275 plants in a 250m² greenhouse, and 200 plants in a 200m² greenhouse.

O desenvolvimento de técnicas que proporcionem maiores produtividades é necessário para atender a crescente demanda por orgânicos. Portanto, objetivou-se avaliar a produtividade de tomate cereja em função do uso de mulching, calcário e esterco bovino em sistema orgânico. A pesquisa foi realizada no Centro de Ciências Agrárias e da Biodiversidade da Universidade Federal do Cariri, Crato-Ceará. Foram avaliados o comprimento e o diâmetro dos frutos, o número de frutos por planta, a massa por fruto, massa de frutos por planta e a produtividade. Os resultados evidenciaram efeito positivo do uso do calcário para elevação da saturação por bases a 80%, enquanto que o mulching não teve efeito significativo. Quanto à adubação orgânica com esterco bovino, apresentou resposta linear até a dose de 5 L por cova, com valores crescentes de produtividade. Conclui-se que o uso de calcário e esterco bovino beneficiam o desenvolvimento e produtividade do tomate cereja, enquanto o uso de mulching não melhorou o desempenho da cultura.

The aim of this study was to determine the required sample size for estimation of the Pearson coefficient of correlation between cherry tomato variables. Two uniformity tests were set up in a protected environment in the spring/summer of 2014. The observed variables in each plant were mean fruit length, mean fruit width, mean fruit weight, number of bunches, number of fruits per bunch, number of fruits, and total weight of fruits, with calculation of the Pearson correlation matrix between them. Sixty eight sample sizes were planned for one greenhouse and 48 for another, with the initial sample size of 10 plants, and the others were obtained by adding five plants. For each planned sample size, 3000 estimates of the Pearson correlation coefficient were obtained through bootstrap re-samplings with replacement. The sample size for each correlation coefficient was determined when the 95% confidence interval amplitude value was less than or equal to 0.4. Obtaining estimates of the Pearson correlation coefficient with high precision is difficult for parameters with a weak linear relation. Accordingly, a larger sample size is necessary to estimate them. Linear relations involving variables dealing with size and number of fruits per plant have less precision. To estimate the coefficient of correlation between productivity variables of cherry tomato, with a confidence interval of 95% equal to 0.4, it is necessary to sample 275 plants in a 250m2 greenhouse, and 200 plants in a 200m2 greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of techniques that provide greater productivity is needed to meet the growing demand for organic. Therefore the objective of the present work was to evaluate the productivity of cherry tomatoes due to the use of mulching, limestone and bovine manure in the organic system. The research was carried out at the Center of Agrarian Sciences and Biodiversity (CCAB) of the Federal University of Cariri, Crato-Ceará. The length and diameter of the fruits, the number of fruits per plant, the mass per fruit, the fruit mass per plant and the productivity were evaluated. The results showed a positive effect of the use of limestone to raise base saturation to 80%, while mulching did not have a significant effect. Regarding organic fertilization with bovine manure, a linear response up to the dose of 5 L per pit, with increasing values of productivity. It was concluded that the use of limestone and bovine manure benefited the development and productivity of cherry tomatoes, while the use of mulching did not improve crop performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Understanding the induction of plant defenses against viruses using biocontrol agents is essential for developing new strategies against these pathogens, given the ineffectiveness of chemical treatments. The ability of Trichoderma harzianum, strain T-22 (T22) to control Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme plants and the changes in the physiology of tomato treated/infected with T22/CMV were examined. Plant growth-promoting effects, photosynthetic performance, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes, and phytohormones were investigated. T22 improved tomato growth in terms of plant height and improved photosynthesis, total chlorophyll content and plant gas exchange. In contrast, CMV induced a negative effect on dry matter accumulation and inhibited the photosynthetic capacity. The analysis of plant hormones demonstrated that treating with T22 before or simultaneously to CMV infection, led to a systemic resistance by jasmonic acid/ethylene and salicylic acid signaling pathways. Conversely, systemic resistance was abscissic acid-dependent when T22 treatment was administered after the CMV infection. In conclusion, the data reported here indicate that the T22-based strategy may be the most effective measure against CMV.

An additive-dominance, additive × additive (ADAA) and genotype × environment interaction mix model was used to study the genetic control of β-carotene and l-ascorbic acid in six basic generations (P, P, F, F, BCP and BCP) of tomato derived from the cross CDP8779 accession ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) × CDP4777 accession ( S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). The study was performed in two environments: (1) open field; (2) protected environment, consisting of hydroponic cultivation in a glasshouse. The results indicate that β-carotene accumulation was mainly additive (32.2% of the genetic component), with a small dominant component (4.2%) and an important additive × environment interaction contribution (63.6%). In target environments with moderate to high temperatures and no limiting radiation, this the expression additive × environment interaction could substantially enhance the β-carotene content. This trait showed also a high narrow-sense heritability ( h = 0.62). Ascorbic acid accumulation was also mainly additive (61.7% of the genetic component), with a minor additive epistatic component (21.5%). This epistatic effect caused a negative heterosis that reduced the positive main additive effect. Nevertheless, in the described target environments, the additive × environment interaction contribution (16.8%) may enhance the ascorbic acid content and compensate for the negative heterosis effect. The total narrow-sense heritability of this trait can be considered useful ( h = 0.52). In conclusion, the CDP4777 accession is a very interesting donor parent for the joint improvement of β-carotene (without diminishing lycopene content) and ascorbic acid content in commercial nutraceutical tomato breeding programmes; the F hybrids derived from this accession showed nearly 450% of the commonly reported average β-carotene content and close to 130% of the ascorbic acid content of the female parent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental variation is widely viewed as a major force driving morphological change and speciation. Although many environmental attributes are potentially critical for adaptive responses within and between species, the individual and relative importance of these diverse attributes remain poorly understood. Here we combine a geographical information systems (GIS)-based analysis of environmental variation with a multipopulation analysis of phenotypic, physiological, and genetic variation, to generate and test hypotheses of environmental factors likely driving adaptive divergence within and between two wild Andean plant species. First, we document large environmental differences between population locations of the two species, and among regions within species. Second, we show evidence for inter- and intraspecific differences in genetically based phenotypic and physiological variation. Third, combining these data, we report evidence for trait–environment associations both among populations within species, and between species, that are strongly indicative of recent and rapid adaptive responses. Finally, we show that these trait–environment associations cannot be simply explained by genetic relatedness within species, reinforcing our inference that local, regional, and species-wide environmental conditions are responsible for phenotypic and physiological diversification. The strongest trait–environment associations involve temperature and precipitation gradients, suggesting these climatic factors are predominant drivers of adaptive diversification in these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision irrigation is essential to improve water use efficiency (WUE), defined as the amount of biomass produced per unit of water used by plants. Our objective is to evaluate the effect of different soil volumetric water content (VWC) in plant growth, fruit yield, quality, and WUE of cherry tomatoes grown in a greenhouse. We tested four VWC thresholds (0.23, 0.30, 0.37, and 0.44 m3 m−3) to trigger a drip irrigation system in two tomato cultivars ('Sweet Heaven' and 'Mascot F1'). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. We used capacitance sensors connected to an open-source, low-cost platform to monitor and control the irrigation in real-time based on demand. Plants were watered every time the soil VWC dropped below the set thresholds. The treatment with VWC 0.44 m3 m−3 resulted in the highest fruit yield, with 102.10% higher WUE when compared to the VWC 0.23 m3 m−3 in both cultivars. Fruit quality traits such as longitudinal and equatorial diameter increased asymptotically with soil water content. In contrast, treatments with deficit irrigation increased the fruit soluble solids by 15.73% in both cultivars. These results strongly suggest that accurate control of the soil VWC is essential to modulate the fruit yield and quality attributes in tomatoes produced in the greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Round red and oblong yellow mini-tomatoes were preferred by consumers. • BRS Zamir showed the highest levels for bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. • The fruit firmness was evaluated by puncture and compression assays. • Round purplish-brown fruit had lower purchase intention by consumers. • Sensory attributes and physical-biochemical traits are important for tomato breeding. The choice of promising parents represents a crucial step in developing improved cultivars in breeding programs for mini-tomatoes— highly demanded miniature vegetables. The association of non-sensory and sensory features of fruit greatly enhances the generation of cultivars that meet the expectations of the productive and commercial chain of tomatoes, focusing on diverse market niches. Thus, in this study, five genotypes of mini-tomatoes were characterized based on physical, biochemical, and sensory attributes. The genetic material encompasses four cultivars (BRS Iracema, BRS Zamir, Iraí, and Sweet Heaven) and one landrace (UEL 238). The fruit were characterized by their dimension, color, firmness, soluble solids content, acidity, vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. In the sensorial test, 109 participants, including 27 chefs, evaluated the shape, size, color, aroma, flavor, texture, and overall liking of the fruit. The cultivar Sweet Heaven, with an oblong red fruit, brought together the main desirable physical traits, such as greater mass, pericarp thickness, firmness, and soluble solids content; while BRS Zamir presented superior values for biochemical characteristics, such as total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. Despite the lesser appreciation of the landrace UEL 238, all genotypes were accepted by consumers, especially BRS Iracema (round red fruit), followed by Iraí (oblong yellow fruit). The characterized mini-tomatoes may be explored in breeding programs as promising parents to combine desirable sensory attributes with the highest nutraceutical quality, resulting in superior cultivars that have been increasingly demanded on the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato susceptibility/resistance to stem canker disease caused by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici and its pathogenic factor AAL-toxin is determined by the presence of the Asc1 gene. Several cultivars of commercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum, SLL) are reported to have a mutation in Asc1, resulting in their susceptibility to AAL-toxin. We evaluated 119 ancestral tomato accessions including S. pimpinellifolium (SP), S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (SLC) and S. lycopersicum var. lycopersicum "jitomate criollo" (SLJ) for AAL-toxin susceptibility. Three accessions, SP PER018805, SLC PER018894, and SLJ M5-3, were susceptible to AAL-toxin. SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 had a two-nucleotide deletion (nt 854_855del) in Asc1 identical to that found in SLL cv. Aichi-first. Another mutation (nt 931_932insT) that may confer AAL-toxin susceptibility was identified in SP PER018805. In the phylogenetic tree based on the 18 COSII sequences, a clade (S3) is composed of SP, including the AAL-toxin susceptible PER018805, and SLC. AAL-toxin susceptible SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 were in Clade S2 with SLL cultivars. As SLC is thought to be the ancestor of SLL, and SLJ is an intermediate tomato between SLC and SLL, Asc1s with/without the mutation seem to have been inherited throughout the history of tomato domestication and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato susceptibility/resistance to stem canker disease caused by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici and its pathogenic factor AAL-toxin is determined by the presence of the Asc1 gene. Several cultivars of commercial tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum , SLL ) are reported to have a mutation in Asc1 , resulting in their susceptibility to AAL-toxin. We evaluated 119 ancestral tomato accessions including S. pimpinellifolium ( SP ), S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme ( SLC ) and S. lycopersicum var. lycopersicum "jitomate criollo" ( SLJ ) for AAL-toxin susceptibility. Three accessions, SP PER018805, SLC PER018894, and SLJ M5-3, were susceptible to AAL-toxin. SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 had a two-nucleotide deletion (nt 854_855del) in Asc1 identical to that found in SLL cv. Aichi-first. Another mutation (nt 931_932insT) that may confer AAL-toxin susceptibility was identified in SP PER018805. In the phylogenetic tree based on the 18 COSII sequences, a clade (S3) is composed of SP , including the AAL-toxin susceptible PER018805, and SLC . AAL-toxin susceptible SLC PER018894 and SLJ M5-3 were in Clade S2 with SLL cultivars. As SLC is thought to be the ancestor of SLL , and SLJ is an intermediate tomato between SLC and SLL , Asc1 s with/without the mutation seem to have been inherited throughout the history of tomato domestication and breeding.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to identify the linear relationship between cherry tomato yield components. Two uniformity trials, without treatments, were conducted on Lilli cherry tomato plants in a plastic greenhouse during the 2014 spring/summer season, with the plants in two stems. Variables observed for each plant were mean fruit length, mean fruit width, mean fruit weight, number of bunches, number of fruits per bunch, total number of fruits, and total fruit weight; a Pearson's correlation matrix was used to estimate the relationship between the variables. Path analysis was then performed considering total fruit weight as the main variable and the remaining variables as explanatory. Due to the severe multicollinearity, the variable 'number of fruits per bunch' was eliminated. Pearson's correlation coefficients were significant between explanatory and main variables. Mean fruit weight has a low cause-and-effect relationship with the total weight of fruits produced. A low cause-and-effect relationship was also observed between number of fruits and number of bunches. Cherry tomato productivity is directly related to the number of fruits per plant.

Understanding the induction of plant defenses against viruses using biocontrol agents is essential for developing new strategies against these pathogens, given the ineffectiveness of chemical treatments. The ability of Trichoderma harzianum , strain T-22 (T22) to control Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme plants and the changes in the physiology of tomato treated/infected with T22/CMV were examined. Plant growth-promoting effects, photosynthetic performance, reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes, and phytohormones were investigated. T22 improved tomato growth in terms of plant height and improved photosynthesis, total chlorophyll content and plant gas exchange. In contrast, CMV induced a negative effect on dry matter accumulation and inhibited the photosynthetic capacity. The analysis of plant hormones demonstrated that treating with T22 before or simultaneously to CMV infection, led to a systemic resistance by jasmonic acid/ethylene and salicylic acid signaling pathways. Conversely, systemic resistance was abscissic acid-dependent when T22 treatment was administered after the CMV infection. In conclusion, the data reported here indicate that the T22-based strategy may be the most effective measure against CMV.