Evaluation of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Parents and Hybrids for Suitability in Puree and Paste Preparation

Introduction

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable crop grown all over the world because it grows well in many conditions and gives good yields. Tomatoes are eaten fresh as well as cooked and are available throughout the year. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are good for health. In India, tomato breeding has mainly focused on increasing yield, with less attention given to fruit quality. However, growing consumer demand and the expansion of the processing industry have increased the need for better fruit quality. Although higher yield and good quality are often difficult to achieve together, proper breeding efforts can improve both. Tomato processing in India has good potential due to increasing demand and export opportunities for products like ketchup, paste, and puree. Therefore, this study was conducted to find suitable tomato varieties for processing purposes.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the Vegetable Research Station, Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Hyderabad, India. The experimental material included nine parental genotypes, consisting of six lines-EC-165749 (L₁), LE-56 (L₂), LE-62 (L₃), LE-64 (L₄), LE-65 (L₅), and LE-67 (L₆)-and three testers-Punjab Chhuhara (T₁), Pant T-3 (T₂), and Pusa Gaurav (T₃). The The experiment included 18 F₁ hybrids obtained from these crosses, along with the nine parents, two commercial hybrids, and one standard variety as checks. Tomato puree and paste were prepared from all the treatments for evaluation. The experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Observations were recorded from freshly prepared tomato puree and paste for ascorbic acid (mg/100 g), total carotenoid content (mg/100 g) and lycopene content (mg/100 g). These traits were estimated using standard procedures described by Ranganna (1986) [2] . The data obtained were statistically analyzed following the methods given by Panse and Sukhatme (1967) [3] .

Results and Discussion

The data regarding the chemical composition of tomato puree and paste are presented in Table 1 andTable 2. Ascorbic acid content of the paste was recorded significantly highest in the parent LE-56 (76.20 mg/100 g) which was on par with Punjab Chhuhara (74.62 mg/100 g). Among the hybrids LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (88.45 mg/100 g) recorded significantly highest ascorbic acid content which was on par with LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (84.40 mg/100 g) and theses are followed by LE-56 × Pant T-3 (82.32 mg/100 g), LE-67 × Pusa Gaurav (80.92 mg/100 g) and LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (80.54 mg/100 g), while the lowest ascorbic acid was recorded with LE-62 × Pant T-3 (40.67 mg/100 g). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 65.80, 67.42 and 64.36 mg/100 g ascorbic acid content, respectively. It might be due to one of them as their parent recorded the highest ascorbic acid content and also be due to its higher ascorbic acid content in the juice. Similar findings were reported by Gowda et al. (1993) [4] and Jawaharlal et al. (1999) [5] . Considering the total carotenoid content, the parent LE-65 recorded the highest in paste (22.46 mg/100 g) which was on par with LE-64 (22.40 mg/100 g) and Punjab Chhuhara (21.86 mg/100 g). The hybrid LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (26.95 mg/100 g) recorded significantly highest total carotenoids followed by LE-64 × Pusa Gaurav (24.95 mg/100 g), LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (24.84 mg/100 g), LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (24.26 mg/100 g) and LE-65 × Pusa Gaurav (23.86 mg/100 g), while the lowest total carotenoid content was recorded with LE-65 × Punjab Chhuhara (12.18 mg/100 g). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 18.76, 16.37 and 20.36 mg/100 g total carotenoid content, respectively.The significantly highest lycopene content of paste (Fig. 11) was recorded by the parent LE-64 (21.79 mg/100 g) which was on par with Punjab Chhuhara (20.90 mg/100 g) and LE-65 (20.68 mg/100 g). The hybrid LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (25.86 mg/100 g) recorded significantly highest lycopene content followed by LE-64 × Pusa Gaurav (23.70 mg/100 g), LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (23.20 mg/100 g), LE-65 × Pusa Gaurav (22.43 mg/100 g) and LE-64 × Punjab chhuhara (22.06 mg/100 g), while the lowest lycopene content was recorded with LE-65 × Punjab Chhuhara (11.06 mg/100 g). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 17.52, 15.07 and 18.72 mg/100 g lycopene content, respectively. It might be due to one of them as their parent recorded the highest lycopene content and total carotenoid content and it might also be due to its higher sugar content and TSS in the juice. These findings are in line with those reported by Gowda et al. (1993) [4] and Jawaharlal et al. (1999) [5] .

Organoleptic score of the paste was recorded highest in the parent LE-65 (4.53) followed by LE-64 (4.47) and Punjab Chhuhara (4.47). Among the hybrids LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.73) recorded highest organoleptic score followed by LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.63), LE-62 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.60) and LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (4.57), while the lowest organoleptic score was recorded with LE-62 × Pusa Gaurav (3.70). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 4.07, 4.00 and 4.30 organoleptic score, respectively. Ascorbic acid content of the puree was recorded significantly highest in the parent LE-56 (49.40 mg/100 g) followed by Punjab Chhuhara (44.20 mg/100 g), LE-67 (43.28 mg/100 g) and LE-65 (42.85 mg/100 g). Among the hybrids LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (58.64 mg/100 g ) recorded significantly highest ascorbic acid which was on par with LE-56 × Pant T-3 (57.24 mg/100 g) and theses are followed by LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (55.36 mg/100 g), LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (54.42 mg/100 g) and LE-67 × Pusa Gaurav (52.54 mg/100 g), while the lowest ascorbic acid content was recorded with LE-62 × Pant T-3 (30.96 mg/100 g). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 40.39, 48.30 and 35.72 mg/100 g ascorbic acid, respectively. It might be due to one of them as their parent recorded the highest ascorbic acid content and also be due to its higher ascorbic acid content in the juice. Similar findings were reported by Gowda et al. (1993) [4] and Jawaharlal et al. (1999) [5] . Considering the total carotenoid content, the parent LE-64 recorded the highest in puree (16.03 mg/100 g g) which was on par with Punjab chhuhara (15.44 mg/100 g) and LE-65 (15.38 mg/100 g). The hybrid LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (17.96 mg/100 g) recorded significantly highest total carotenoids which was on par with LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (17.41 mg/100 g) and these are followed by LE-64 × Pusa Gaurav (16.65 mg/100 g), LE-62 × Punjab Chhuhara (16.36 mg/100 g) and LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (16.08 mg/100 g), while the lowest total carotenoid content was recorded with LE-64 × Pant T-3 (11.84 mg/100 g) in hybrids. The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 13.84, 12.89 and 13.46 mg/100 g total carotenoid content, respectively.The significantly highest lycopene content of puree was recorded by the parent LE-64 (14.50 mg/100 g) followed by LE-65 (13.24 mg/100 g), Punjab Chhuhara (13.20 mg/100 g) and Pant T-3 (13.12 mg/100 g). The hybrid LE-56 x Punjab Chhuhara (16.80 mg/100 g) recorded significantly highest lycopene content followed by LE-64 x Punjab Chhuhara (15.40 mg/100 g), LE-65 x Pusa Gaurav (14.98 mg/100 g), LE-64 x Pusa Gaurav (14.60 mg/100 g) and LE-62 x Punjab Chhuhara (14.54 mg/100 g), while the lowest lycopene content was recorded with LE-62 x Pusa Gaurav (9.68 mg/100 g) in hybrids. The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 12.10, 10.70 and 11.67 mg/100 g lycopene content, respectively. It might be due to one of them as their parent recorded the highest lycopene content and total carotenoid content and it might also be due to its higher sugar content and TSS in the juice. These findings are in line with those reported by Gowda et al. (1993) [4] and Jawaharlal et al. (1999) [5] . Organoleptic score of the puree was recorded highest in the parent LE-64 (4.60) followed by LE-65 (4.57) and Punjab Chhuhara (4.57). Among the hybrids LE-62 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.73) recorded highest organoleptic score followed by LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.70), LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara (4.68) and LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav (4.67), while the lowest organoleptic score was recorded with EC-165749 × Pusa Gaurav (3.70). The checks Lakshmi, US -618 and Arka Vikas recorded 4.20, 4.10 and 4.40 organoleptic score, respectively.The hybrids LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara, LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara LE-62 × Punjab Chhuhara and LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav are best suited for processing having moderate acidity and high lycopene content and these hybrids scored maximum for overall acceptability of the products. Results are in agreement with the findings of Gowda et al. (1993) [4] , Khandekar et al. (1994) ) [6] , Ereifej et al. (1997) [7] and Bengal et al. (2005) [8] .

Conclusion

In an evaluation of nine parents, eighteen hybrids and three checks of tomato for quality of puree and paste, The hybrids LE-56 × Punjab Chhuhara, LE-64 × Punjab Chhuhara LE-62 × Punjab Chhuhara and LE-56 × Pusa Gaurav are best suited for processing having moderate acidity and high lycopene content and these hybrids scored maximum for overall acceptability of the products.

References

1. Kempthorne O. An introduction to genetic statistics. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.; 1957. p. 208223.
2. Ranganna S. Manual of analysis of fruit and vegetable products. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.; 1986. p. 89-90.
3. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV. Statistical methods for agricultural workers. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); 1967.
4. Gowda DIN, Ramanjaneya KH, Anand N, Sadashiva AT, Tikoo SK. Studies on the physico-chemical characteristics and processing quality of two IIHR tomato varieties in relation to commercial cultivars. J Food Sci Technol. 1994;31(2):126-129.
5. Jawaharlal M, Ramadas S, Veeraragavathatham D. Evaluation of parents and hybrids of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) for their suitability to prepare ketchup and paste. South Indian Hortic. 1999;47(1-6):38-41.
6. Khandekar RG, Joshi GD, Salvi MJ, Sapkal BB. A comparative study on processing of different tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) varieties in the Konkan region. Veg Sci. 1994;21(1):59-64.
7. Ereifej KI, Shibli RA, Ajlouni MM, Hussain. Physicochemical characteristics and processing quality of seven newly introduced tomato cultivars in Jordan in comparison with a local variety. J Food Sci Technol. 1997;34(2):171-174.
8. Bengal BP, Madalageri MB, Rokhade AK. Physicochemical qualities of fruits of commercial tomato hybrids and varieties in Ghataprabha Left Bank Command (GLBC) area for processing into puree. J Food Sci Technol. 2005;42(1):8-11.