THE RESPONSE OF SEVERAL TOMATO CULTIVARS FOR PROCESSING IN CENTRAL TRANSYLVANIA CONDITIONS. II. FRUITS QUALITY

Nine tomato cultivars for fresh consumption and processing were evaluated for fruit quality at the Fruit Research Station Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The height of the fruits was between 46.7 mm (Red River) and 59.8 mm (Chico Grande), the diameter of the fruits oscillated between 48.0 mm (Event) and 72.4 mm (Natalia) and the form of the fruits was different from one variety to another: spherical for Indiana, high spherical for Chico Grande, Event, Jet, Montego and Line Cluj 8-2002, flattened spherical for Perla Clujului, Natalia and Red River. All the cultivars had fruits with firm flesh; the best firmness was represented by Chico Grande, Event and Line Cluj 8-2002, all these having been prescript as potential genitors for creation of the new varieties with a good firmness of the fruits. It was identified a strong correlation between the shape index and the firmness of the fruits (r = 0.784), which demonstrated that the high-spherical fruits had a more firm flesh than the flattened ones. The dry matter content of the fruits oscillated between 5.26% for Indiana and 8.25% for Natalia, these two varieties also providing the extreme limits for the sugar content: 4.58% (Indiana) and 6.25% (Natalia). The Mature Fruit Yield (MFY) was correlated in a strong and positive way to the dry matter content of the fruits and with their vitamin C content. Between the Total Fruit Yield (TFY) and the dry matter content of the fruits there was a positive correlation (r = 0.843). The weight of the fruits was significantly correlated to all the chemical traits of the fruits (the content of dry matter, ascorbic acid, sugar and titrable acids). The varieties obtained at Cluj-Napoca, Natalia and Perla Clujului, with fruits rich in sugar and in vitamin C were recommended as genitors in tomato breeding in order to create new cultivars with fruits proper for processing on a high level.