Abstract
San Marzano (SM) is a traditional Italian landrace characterized by red elongated fruits, originating in the province of Naples (Italy) and cultivated worldwide. Three mutations, yellow flesh (r), green flesh (gf) and colorless fruit epidermis (y) were introduced into SM by backcross and the resulting introgression lines (ILs) produced the expected yellow, brown and pink fruit variants. In addition, ILs carrying double combinations of those mutations were obtained. The six ILs plus the SM reference were analyzed for volatile (VOC), non-polar (NP) and polar (P) metabolites. Sixty-eight VOCs were identified, and several differences evidenced in the ILs; overall gf showed epistasis over r and y and r over y. Analysis of the NP component identified 54 metabolites; variation in early carotenoids (up to lycopene) and chlorophylls characterized respectively the ILs containing r and gf. In addition, compounds belonging to the quinone and xanthophyll classes were present in genotypes carrying the r mutation at levels higher than SM. Finally, the analysis of 129 P metabolites evidenced different levels of vitamins, amino acids, lipids and phenylpropanoids in the ILs. A correlation network approach was used to investigate metabolite–metabolite relationships in the mutant lines. Altogether these differences potentially modified the hedonistic and nutritional value of the berry. In summary, single and combined mutations in gf, r and y generated interesting visual and compositional diversity in the SM landrace, while maintaining its original typology.
Highlights
In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), fruit color is one of the most important traits affecting consumer liking, and it is the result of combined effect of carotenoids, flavonoids and eventually chlorophylls
The comparison of the entire volatile compounds (VOCs), NP and P metabolome between the San Marzano (SM) control and the six mutated lines detected the total features of their metabolic profile differences, setting the stage for a more specific targeted metabolomics study later in this paper
Two green flesh genotypes were clearly separated from y mutants plus r by the PC1, and r mutants were grouped in the lower quadrants by the PC2
Summary
In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), fruit color is one of the most important traits affecting consumer liking, and it is the result of combined effect of carotenoids, flavonoids and eventually chlorophylls. Flavonoids play a role in determining the color of tomato fruit, at the epidermal level [3]. Chlorophylls can eventually have a role in defining the color of the fruit; they are normally degraded during ripening, “stay green” (SGR) mutants exist, that maintain. Yellow flesh (r), colorless fruit epidermis (y) and green flesh (gf ), which are representative of the main classes of color pigments, were chosen to be studied at metabolite level, with the aim of assessing the impact of these mutations on the fruit metabolome with emphasis on compounds that co-participate in defining fruit qualities
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