Modern production and storage features of tomatoes in Russia

Abstract. Tomato is a widely grown crop in Russia both in open and protected ground, has high gross harvest and yield capacity rates. During storage, being a climacteric culture, it matures quickly, which leads to accelerated breathing and evaporation of moisture, loss of the presentation of the product. The process of maturation and aging of tomatoes is associated with the peculiarity of biochemical processes inside the fruit during storage, while the content of biologically valuable substances decreases, the quality of stored products and organoleptic indicators deteriorate. The accelerated aging process is facilitated by the development of diseases caused by both the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms (fungal, bacterial, viral) and those arising from non-infectious exposure (temperature, relative humidity, mechanical damage, etc.). In this regard, in order to preserve the quality and increase the duration of storage, it is relevant to search for domestic and foreign sources characterizing the features of tomato fruits as an object of storage, for further research and development in the field of storage technologies that reduce the rate of biochemical processes, prevent or reduce the intensity of fruit damage during storage. In the article the structural features of tomato fruits were studied, tomato varieties were described, and also data on production volume were provided. It is noted that over the past few years there has been an increase in gross harvest and yield capacity with a simultaneous decrease in acreage, the biochemical composition of tomato fruits and its changes occurring during maturation and storage are described, infectious (caused by pathogenic microorganisms) and non-communicable diseases that contribute to the rapid maturation and spoilage of tomato fruits during storage are described. Key words: tomato, classification, production, structure, storage biochemical processes, diseases