INFLUENCE OF LOCALITY ON PRODUCTION TRAITS PERFORMANCE DOMINANCE ASSESSMENT OF TOMATO GENOTYPES - Solanum lycopersicum L.

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most widely produced crops. After maize, rice, wheat, millet, and potatoes, it is the seventh most significant crop. Increasing fruit output per unit area, attaining disease resistance, fruit quality and earliness, postharvest storage endurance, broad adaptability, and the capacity to set fruit at unfavourable temperatures are all universal goals of tomato breeding. Six tomato genotypes, consisting of five industrial inbred lines and a standard cultivar (Heinz 1015) were tested for several morphological fruit properties (average fruit weight, pH value, total soluble solids and dry matter content) in a multienvironment trial in three environments - Pazardzhik (Bulgaria), Požega (Serbia) and Smederevska Palanka (Serbia). The aim was to assess performance of each genotype in different locations and determine contributions to phenotypic variation and degree of genotype×environment interaction, as well as significant differences from standard cultivar and between tested inbred lines, test correlation coefficients between observed traits, and select the best genotype for further breeding studies. All observed trait values differed significantly among tested genotypes. The highest average fruit weight and dry matter content were measured in Pazardzhik environment, while the highest total soluble solids content was measured in Smederevska Palanka and Požega environments. Significantly negative correlation (r = -0.82) was found between dry matter content and pH value. Two of the tested genotypes were recommended to include in future breeding studies.