Abstract
Organic horticulture is a sustainable agricultural model that can provide high quality products and allows conservationof genetic diversity. Traditional tomato varieties are well adapted to organic production and they have the organolepticcharacteristics demanded by consumers. Seven traditional tomato varieties were studied: BGV-001020, BGV-000998,BGV-001000, BGV-004123, CIDA-44-A, CIDA-62, CIDA-59-A, and they were compared with a tomato Marmandetype commercial cv. ‘Baghera’, all them grown under organic production. Several quality variables were measured toestablish whether any of the traditional varieties might be suitable for commercial production. CIDA-62 was shown to be the most promising variety. It produces tomatoes of very high quality under organic conditions. It excels in terms of bioactive compounds such as vitamin C (459.22 mg kg–1 fw) and lycopene (62.25 mg kg–1 fw) and in its total antioxidant activity (43.58 mg Trolox/100 g fw). It is also outstanding in terms of its sugar content (4.56% fructose and glucose combined) and of its total soluble solids content (6.22°Brix). All of these variables are associated with both sensory quality and health benefits. Other varieties that emerged with relatively high levels of total soluble solids content, lycopene, vitamin C and total antioxidant activity were BGV-004123 and BGV-001020.
Highlights
Traditional agricultural crops have been progressively displaced in recent years as a result of developments in both cultivation methods and plant varieties
The highest values for total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity were found for CIDA-62 (6.22°Brix, 0.35% citric acid) and BGV-004123 (5.88°Brix, 0.33% citric acid) without differences among them
The flavour of tomatoes is strongly affected by TSS, pH and titratable acidity, which are considered good indicators of sensory quality (Thybo et al, 2006)
Summary
Traditional agricultural crops have been progressively displaced in recent years as a result of developments in both cultivation methods and plant varieties. Old or autochthonous strains of many cultivated species have been replaced by genetically or biotechnologically improved varieties (Díaz del Cañizo et al, 1998; Cebolla-Cornejo et al, 2002) that are more productive and more resistant to diseases and pests. Germplasm collections are effective tools to preserve the genetic variability in crop species by avoiding, as much as possible, genetic erosion. There is currently concern to encourage sustainable and balanced models of agricultural production, consistent with better conservation both of genetic diversity and of the wider environment. A good alternative might be the utilisation of traditional varieties, better adapted to particular agroclimatic conditions (Díaz del Cañizo et al, 1998)
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