Assessment of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>) Landraces for Their Agronomic, Biochemical Characteristics and Resistance to <i>Phytophthora infestans</i>
Aurel Maxim,
Vasile Cristian Albu,
Dan Cristian Vodnar,
Tania Mihăiescu,
Ștefania Mirela Mang,
Ippolito Camele,
Vincenzo Trotta,
Maria Grazia Bonomo,
Lucia Mihalescu,
Mignon Sandor,
Floricuța Ranga,
Orsolya Borsai
Affiliations
Aurel Maxim
Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vasile Cristian Albu
Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan Cristian Vodnar
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tania Mihăiescu
Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ștefania Mirela Mang
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Ippolito Camele
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Vincenzo Trotta
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Maria Grazia Bonomo
Department of Sciences (DiS), University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Lucia Mihalescu
Department of Biology, North University Center of Baia Mare, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, No. 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, Romania
Mignon Sandor
Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Floricuța Ranga
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Orsolya Borsai
Department of Horticulture and Landscaping, Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 3-5, Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Genetic diversity in crop plants is the conditio sine qua non for sustainable agriculture and long-term food security. Our research carried out the morphological, agronomic, and physico-chemical characterization and resistance to late blight of 35 tomato landraces from seven countries. These landraces have been approved and appear in the Official Catalog of Varieties. The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) descriptors have been used to describe the tomato’s morphological and agronomic characteristics. For the physico-chemical characteristics, the dry matter, the pH, and the carotenoid content (lycopene, lutein, and β-carotene)) were analyzed. Carotenoids were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the morphological diversity of landraces was very high. Three landraces of remarkable commercial value have shown increased resistance to late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans, one of the most damaging diseases of tomato. Also, six landraces had a lycopene content exceeding 100 µg/g sample. The carotenoid content ranged between 0.769 (Marmande-FR 166) and 140.328 mg kg−1 FW (Răscruci). The landrace with the highest β carotene content was PT 308 with 65.499 mg kg−1 FW, while the lowest values were registered for Marmande-FR 166 with 0.105 mg kg−1 FW. The present study provides essential information on the morphological and agronomic qualities of these tomato landraces and their lycopene and other carotenoid content. The results are discussed in light of the importance of tomato landraces in meeting the preferences of different producers and consumers, the choice of the most suitable landraces for specific pedoclimatic conditions, and the supply of carotenoid pigment sources for the pharmaceutical industry. Our research responds to humanity’s great global challenges: preserving agricultural biodiversity, protecting the environment by identifying pest-resistant varieties, and also protecting consumer health by finding important sources of antioxidants.
