ISHS Acta Horticulturae 821: International Symposium on Tomato in the Tropics
OVERVIEW AND PERSPECTIVES OF TOMATO BREEDING FOR FRESH MARKET ADAPTED TO MILD TROPICAL CLIMATES OF BRAZIL |
| Authors: | P.C.T. Melo , A.M.T. Melo, L.S. Boiteux |
| Keywords: | Solanum lycopersicum, tomato improvement, acclimatization, genotypes, cultivars |
| Abstract:
The major tomato breeding accomplishments of the past 40 years in Brazil came from conventional plant breeding carried out by researchers in the public sector, but since mid 1990s the public activities on tomato research and development slowed down and shifted towards the private multinational sector. However, the long-term scenario indicates a need for a stronger partnership between public and private sectors aiming to address the challenges that are waiting ahead. There is an irreversible market trend that is demanding for safe tomato fruits, free of chemical residues and produced under sustainable systems with practices capable of minimizing detrimental effects on the environment. For this endeavor, it is necessary to incorporate in elite germplasm genes of resistance to pests and diseases that are not available yet in commercial cultivars including Xanthomonas, Ralstonia solanacearum, new races of Fusarium and Verticillium, Tuta absoluta and Bemisia tabaci. In the short-term, the major challenge of tomato breeders focused on the Brazilian market is to come out with extended shelf life hybrid combinations with sensorial qualities that outperform the ones available today. The economic sustainability of the fresh market tomato agribusiness in Brazil is dependent upon a more vigorous growth in the per capita consumption. For that, it is necessary to develop adapted hybrids with improved sensorial, nutritional, and nutraceutical attributes. In addition, efforts to develop cultivars adapted to climate change-induced stresses are critical, especially for sustainable tomato production in tropical areas in the near future. | |
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