Tomato fruit quality and processing ability are impacted by irrigation regime as well as genotype and maturity stage”

In order to investigate how pre-harvest conditions impact fresh fruit quality, and 17 especially their quality attributes related to industry use, we identified and quantified 18 fresh fruit traits which are impacted by low water supply and their consequences on 19 puree quality, with a focus on viscosity, sugar/acid balance and carotenoid content. A first 20 trial in 2016, indicated that lowering water supply to 50% of the evapotranspiration 21 (ETP) all along the fruit development impacted plants without significantly affect yields, 22 but impacted the fruit reactivity to the process. To confirm these results, and seek for the 23 limits of reducing water supply, the same experimentation was design except that a more 24 severe water deficit was applied. Control plants were irrigated in order to match 100% of 25 the (ETP). Water deficit (WD) plants were irrigated as control plants was until anthesis of 26 the first flowers, and then, the irrigation was reduced to 50% of the ETP. The results 27 obtained in 2017 were compared to those obtained in 2016 on the basis of same 28 variables. Soil humidity, leaf conductance, leaf and fruit water potential and fruit growth 29 were monitored revealing interactive effects between crop and process management. It 30 pointed out links between fresh fruit characteristics and puree quality, depending on 31 genotype and watering regime. As in 2016, WD hardly reduced yield, but increased dry 32 matter content. The puree viscosity strongly depended on the genotype, and the viscosity 33 was disconnected from the soluble solid content (brix). The fruits enzymatic reactivity, 34 estimated through the difference of viscosity measured between hot-break and cold-35 break purees were reduced dramatically under WD for all the genotypes. This work 36 opens new perspectives for managing puree quality in the field and for reducing water 37 use in the pre-harvest period and energy cost during processing.