Characterization of Some Physico-chemical Properties of F5 Breeding Lines of Tomatoes

Aims: In an effort to improve the breeding lines of tomatoes for further breeding work; this work was done to evaluate the physico-chemical properties of selected lines.
Study Area and Duration: The research was carried out between May-September 2012 at Nuclear Agriculture Research Center (NARC) farms and the laboratories of Radiation Technology Center (RTC) of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI).
Methodology: 10 accessions of fully ripe tomato fully ripened tomatoes from ten F5 breeding lines were harvested and analyzed for their physico-chemical properties including colour, pH, Total Titratable Acidity (TTA), Total Soluble Solids (TSS) and Vitamin C.
Results: The highest pH was recorded in wosowoso variety, T19 (4.31) while the lowest was T14 (3.90). The Vitamin C content was observed to be high in wosowoso (78.86mg/100g) and the least being T14 (20.83mg/100g). Among the various lines, the highest TTA value was found in roma, T11 (1.18%CA) while lowest (0.55%CA) was T3 belonging to the cherry yellow variety. Among all the accessions, T9 had the most reddish colour (a*) whilst the lowest value was reported in TI5Ay. Most of the generational lines performed better than their parents and thus can be selected for further breeding work.
Conclusion: Generational lines; T3, T11 T14, T17, T9, T15Ay, T15Br and T19 obtained from the various parents were found to have more desirable traits compared to their parents.