Greenhouse evaluation of tomato cultivars across ripening stages for selection of superior breeding genotypes

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important vegetable crop, making the development of high-yielding, high-quality, and market-oriented cultivars a key breeding goal. This research investigated fruit yield and quality in 25 commercial tomato cultivars during three fruit ripening stages (S1: green, beginning of ripening, and S3: fully ripened under greenhouse conditions at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Measured traits included total soluble solids (TSS), fruit firmness (FF), color indices (a*, b*, and L*), pH, fruit length (FL), fruit width (FW), fresh and dry fruit weights (FFW, DFW), internode length (IL), and total yield (YLD). Significant genetic variation was detected among cultivars for most traits, except pH, FW, and b* at S3, indicating high potential for selection. The results provided practical cultivar recommendations based on market demands. For the fresh market, ‘Sylviana’, ‘TM10857’, and ‘GS12’ were notable for their high TSS, appealing color, and moderate firmness, while ‘Goldy’ and ‘Aragon’ exhibited balanced traits. For processing, ‘Izmir’, ‘Sama’, and ‘Bernetta’ were preferred due to their deep red color and lower TSS, and ‘SV4129TH’ and ‘Bassimo’ offered a desirable balance of firmness and color. Dual-purpose cultivars like ‘SVH4040’, ‘SV3725’, and ‘RFT112’ demonstrated strong yield, firmness, and TSS performance, making them adaptable choices for fresh markets and processing industries. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for breeding and selection of tomato cultivars aligned with both consumer and industry needs.