Breeding for flavour of fresh market tomato: sources for increasing acid content

Breeding programs in tomato for fresh consumption have concluded in very pr oductive varieties/hybrids with an extraordinary external quality. However, internal quality has not been a priority objective in these breeding progr ams, so present products have a lack of important internal quality properti es. Thus, internal and nutritional improvement including taste and organole ptyc characteristics are important breeding objectives at present. A screening trial to identify sources for internal quality improvement by i ncreasing acid content was carried out. 12 accessions of Lycopersicon escul entum and 8 of L. pimpinellifolium were tested with that purpose. Content i n citric, malic. oxalic and fumaric acid by HPLC, soluble solids content (S SC)(1Brix) by refractometry and total acidity by titration with NaOH were m easured. Sources for high citric, malic and fumaric acid content were found to begin those breeding programs. Results could possibly suggest an indepe ndent genetic control for every acid.