GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF SOLANACEOUS CROPS, VOLUME II: TOMATO

Authors: Mattoo, Autar; RAZDAN, MAHARAJ - UNIVERSITY OF DELHI INDIA

Submitted to: Genetic Improvement of Solanaceous Crops, Vol 2: Tomato
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2006
Publication Date: 1/7/2008
Citation: Mattoo, A.K., Razdan, M. 2008. Genetic improvement of solanaceous crops, volume ii: tomato. Genetic Improvement of Solanaceous Crops, Vol 2: Tomato. Enfield, NH:Science Publishers, Inc. p. 1-637.

Interpretive Summary: Tomato is the second most consumed vegetable in the world. Its consumption has considerably increased, which warranted enhancing fruit yield and processing quality without affecting the nutritional quality. Most of the production increases hitherto have been achieved using conventional methods of selection and breeding coupled with improved growth practices: use of fertilizer, improved irrigation, and pest management. Other advancements have been possible through the application of molecular markers to ease selection process and technological innovations including development of genetically enhanced tomatoes engineered for high quality and resistance to disease and extreme environments. This book provides overview of subjects in sixteen chapters, contributed by 33 authors - world experts in the different subject areas covered in the book – from six countries. The aim of this edited volume is to provide a critical appraisal of the state-of-the-art advances made on this crop. This compendium should be equally useful to tomato breeders, researchers, and teachers as well as students seeking recent information on tomato genetics, physiology, pathology, and other biotechnological applications.

Technical Abstract: Tomato is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world and is the dietary source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which are important for human nutrition and health. Fresh fruits are used in salads, various culinary preparations, juices, or processed in the form of purees, concentrates, condiments and sauces. Tomato plants are grown world-wide in the field, or in greenhouses. Genetic improvement of this Solanaceous crop has been an on-going process with the objective of gaining high fruit yield, enhanced fruit nutritive value, controlled fruit maturation and ripening, and developing resistance to phytophagous insects, microbial pathogens, and various abiotic stresses. More importantly, with the increase in the world population, the quantum of tomato consumption has considerably increased and farmers, agronomists and horticulturists have had to walk a tight rope to enhance yield without losing sight of the production quality to meet the demands of the fresh market and the processing industry. Of the nearly 3 million hectares under vegetable cultivation the tomato crop occupied one-third of this global area with total tomato production in 1994 reported as 77.5 Mt, averaging 27 t ha-l. Most of the production increases hitherto have been achieved using conventional methods of selection and breeding coupled with improved growth practices: use of fertilizer, improved irrigation, and pest management. Other advancements have been possible through the application of molecular markers to ease selection process and technological innovations including development of genetically enhanced tomatoes engineered for high quality and resistance to disease and extreme environments. This book presents a critical appraisal of the state-of-the-art findings on this crop in the form of overviews, emphasizing various approaches and strategies used for its improvement through research conducted at various research institutes, organizations and universities world over.