Cherry Tomato Research Articles

AmiRNA Technology Enhances Tomato Disease Resistance by Suppressing Plant-Pathogen Interaction Pathways through Inhibiting TYLCV Replication.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease has seriously threatened the quality and yield of tomatoes. In this study, we investigated the role of amiRNA technology in disease resistance in tomatoes (cherry tomato and large-fruited tomato) and analyzed the physiological and molecular mechanisms of disease resistance in transgenic plants. TYLCV contains six functional genes, of which the C1, C2, and V1 genes have more phosphorylation sites and glycosylation sites, and the protein structure is more complex. The virus replication was inhibited, the peroxidation of membrane lipids was reduced, and disease resistance was enhanced in all transgenic cherry tomato (J6) plants in which the C1, C2, and V1 genes were silenced, respectively. Similarly, silencing of the C1 gene enhanced disease resistance in large-fruited tomatoes. In conclusion, amiRNA technology hinders viral replication, leading to reduced activity of the tomato plant-pathogen interaction pathway and weakening tomato-virus interactions, thereby improving disease resistance.

Characteristics of whey protein concentrate/egg white protein composite film modified by transglutaminase and its application on cherry tomatoes.

In order to obtain food packaging film with better performance, whey protein concentrate (WPC) and egg white protein (EWP) were used as film-forming substrates, and its film properties weremodified by transglutaminase (TG). Then the effect of TG on the mechanical, physical, barrier, and microstructural properties of the WPC/EWP composite biodegradable film was investigated, and its preliminary application potential was explored. Compared toWPC and EWP films, WPC/EWP composite film had higher transmittance, tensile strength (TS), and thermal stability. Fluorescence results showed that the film experienced fluorescence quenching after TG treatment. Fourier transform infrared and x-ray diffraction results showed that WPC and EWP had good compatibility in the biodegradable film, the hydrogen bond interaction of film was increased due to TG, resulting in an increase in TS. Meanwhile, the water vapor permeability and contact angle of WPC/EWP film treated with TG at 5U/g protein increased by 28% and 76.1%, respectively. Besides, the WPC/EWP biodegradable film modified by TG (TG-W/E) was applied as a coating film on cherry tomatoes, effectively reducing the weight loss rate during storage from 14.2% to 10.8%. Furthermore, indexes, such as solid content, spoilage rate, hardness, pH, and lycopene, showed that the film had a good preservation effect on cherry tomatoes. To conclude, the appropriate addition of TG has a positive effect on the film properties of the WPC/EWP biodegradable film, which is beneficial to the development and utilization of protein-based film. WPC/EWP biodegradable film modified by TG has a great application prospect in extending the shelf life of fruit and vegetable.

GFS-YOLO11: A Maturity Detection Model for Multi-Variety Tomato

In order to solve the problems that existing tomato maturity detection methods struggle to take into account both common tomato and cherry tomato varieties in complex field environments (such as light change, occlusion, and fruit overlap) and the model size being too large, this paper proposes a lightweight tomato maturity detection model based on improved YOLO11, named GFS-YOLO11. In order to achieve a lightweight network, we propose the C3k2_Ghost module to replace the C3K2 module in the original network, which can ensure a feature extraction capability and reduce model computation. In order to compensate for the potential feature loss caused by the light weight, this paper proposes a feature-refining module (FRM). After embedding each feature extraction module in the trunk network, it improves the feature expression ability of common tomato and cherry tomato in complex field environments by means of depth-separable convolution, multi-scale pooling, and channel attention and spatial attention mechanisms. In addition, in order to further improve the detection ability of the model for tomatoes of different sizes, the SPPFELAN module is also proposed in this paper. In combining the advantages of SPPF and ELAN, multiple parallel SPPF branches are used to extract features of different levels and perform splicing and fusion. To verify the validity of the method, this study constructed a dataset of 1061 images of common and cherry tomatoes, covering tomatoes in six ripened categories. The experimental results show that the performance of the GFS-YOLO11 model is significantly improved compared with the original model; the P, R, mAP50, and MAP50-95 increased by 5.8%, 4.9%, 6.2%, and 5.5%, respectively, and the number of parameters and calculation amount were reduced by 35.9% and 22.5%, respectively. The GFS-YOLO11 model is lightweight while maintaining high precision, can effectively cope with complex field environments, and more conveniently meet the needs of real-time maturity detection of common tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.

Effect of fertigation scheduling and doses of NPK on growth, yield and quality of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme) under protected condition

This study investigated the impact of different fertigation schedules on cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) cultivation in a controlled environment at TNAU, Coimbatore, India. A Completely Randomized Design with nine treatments and three replications was used, incorporating various combinations of soil application and fertigation with water-soluble fertilizers at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF). Critical parameters such as growth, phenological traits, yield, fruit quality, soil nutrient status, and plant nutrient uptake were evaluated. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, path coefficient analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA), were performed to assess treatment effects and identify relationships between variables. The results consistently demonstrated that fertigation with water-soluble fertilizers at 100% RDF (T3) yielded the best outcomes for most parameters, followed by 75% RDF fertigation (T4) and a combination of 25% soil application and 75% fertigation (T7). Significant improvements in plant growth, yield and fruit quality were observed with optimized fertigation compared to traditional soil application methods. T3 (100% RDF through fertigation) resulted in the highest plant height (263.95 cm), number of primary branches (15), leaf area (316.77 cm²) and dry matter production (96.85 kg/plant). Yield attributes such as fruits per plant (326.50), fruit weight (3.73 g), and total yield (23.95 t/ha) were also highest in T3. Path coefficient analysis indicated strong positive correlations between growth and yield parameters. PCA showed that the first principal component accounted for 85.9 % of the total variation. These findings highlight the potential for fertigation to improve resource use efficiency and productivity in cherry tomato cultivation.

Influence of Different Nitrogen Concentrations on Growth, Yield, and Yield Attributes of Hydroponically Grown Cherry Tomato

This scientific study aimed to determine the optimal nitrogen concentration within a hydroponic solution for the Rosa variety of cherry tomato plants cultivated in a controlled greenhouse environment. The study was conducted over a period of October 2019 to April 2021. Various treatments were administered, each with distinct nitrogen concentrations, to evaluate their effects on plant growth, yield, and yield-attributing characteristics. The results unequivocally demonstrated that the application of 8 mmol/L of nitrogen (T3) emerged as the most efficacious treatment for optimizing the growth, yield, and yield-attributing characteristics of the cherry tomato plants. These findings hold significant implications for refining nitrogen management practices in horticultural crop production, particularly for the Rosa variety of cherry tomatoes, within controlled greenhouse settings.

Antifungal Effects and Postharvest Diseases Control Potential of E, E-2, 4-Nonadienal against Rhizopus stolonifer.

Pathogenic microorganisms are a significant cause of food spoilage, adversely affecting both product quality and human health. This study evaluated the antifungal activities of 34 aldehydes against foodborne and plant pathogenic fungi, identifying 8 promising lead compounds. Among them, E, E-2, 4-nonadienal exhibited optimal effects against Rhizopus stolonifer with an EC50 of 11.29 μg/mL. In vitro assays demonstrated that E, E-2, 4-nonadienal significantly impact R. stolonifer through both direct contact and fumigation. The preliminary mode of action (MOA) studies indicated that it effectively inhibited spore germination, disrupted ergosterol biosynthesis, and induced oxidative stress, affecting the permeability of the fungal cell membrane and altering mycelial morphology. Additionally, E, E-2, 4-nonadienal significantly reduced soft rot in spore-infected stored cherry tomatoes and showed low toxicity. Thus, aldehydes, exemplified by E, E-2, 4-nonadienal, are potential food and agricultural preservatives, offering efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

The potential of helichrysum italicum essential oil-infused alginate coatings and film for prolonging the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes

This study aimed to develop edible coatings and films using sodium alginate (1 % Alg) and varying concentrations of Helichrysum italicum essential oil (HIEO) (0.3 % and 0.5 %) for cherry tomato preservation. The treatments consisted of Alg, Alg/0.3 % HIEO, and Alg/0.5 % HIEO. The physico-chemical, mechanical, water vapor permeability, optical, thermal, and antifungal properties of these coatings and films were examined. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses showed that the addition of HIEO resulted in a heterogeneous morphology and slight chemical structural changes in the Alg film. The Alg/0.5 % HIEO films exhibited improved water vapor permeability, antioxidant capacity, ultraviolet light barrier properties, elongation at break, and thermal stability. Additionally, 0.5 % HIEO significantly reduced the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea (in vitro), making Alg/0.5 % HIEO the optimal coating. Cherry tomatoes coated with Alg/0.5 % HIEO and stored at 25 °C and 60 % relative humidity for 18 d showed reduced weight loss (5.22 ± 1.45 %) and preserved firmness (6.43 N). This coating also inhibited the Rhizopus stolonifer lesion diameter by 61.36 % (in vivo). In conclusion, Alg/0.5 % HIEO coatings are promising sustainable active packaging solutions for cherry tomato storage applications.

Estimation of genetic variability parameters and trait association in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme)

Cherry tomatoes are the smaller version of classic tomatoes but are valued for their sweet taste and captivating colors. They are highly favored by the urban elite and the chefs catering to high-profile restaurants. To formulate selection criteria for utilization in breeding programs, variability parameters, an association between different characters, and direct and indirect effects of component traits of 29 cherry tomato genotypes were assessed under polyhouse conditions. Sufficient genetic variability was found for the morphological and yield traits studied, as revealed by the variance analysis. Plant height, primary branches per plant, days to 50 percent flowering, flower clusters per plant, flowers per cluster, fruits per cluster, days to first harvest, fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, locules per fruit, pericarp thickness, days to final harvest, yield per plant, total soluble solids, lycopene, ascorbic acid, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars showed high estimates of heritability and genetic advance as percent of the mean. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship between fruit yield per plant and pericarp thickness (0.727), fruit length (0.685), fruit girth (0.536), fruit weight (0.530), and the number of fruits per cluster (0.386). Principal component analysis identified the primary component (PC1) as the main contributor to variance. Path analysis revealed that fruit length, pericarp thickness, number of fruits per plant, flowers per cluster, and fruit weight had the highest direct effect on yield. These traits were the key factors influencing fruit yield per plant in cherry tomatoes.

Development of polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethylcellulose-based bio-packaging film with citric acid crosslinking and clove essential oil encapsulated chitosan nanoparticle pickering emulsion

This study developed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based films, using citric acid (CA) as a non-toxic crosslinking agent, to enhance the shelf life of water-soluble packaging films. Clove essential oil (CEO)-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) were prepared via Pickering emulsion and incorporated into PVA/CMC/CA composite films. The encapsulation of CEO was confirmed by FTIR and optical microscopy. Thermal properties were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), revealing improved thermal stability and a decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg) upon crosslinking. The formation of ester bonds was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and 13CNMR. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements showed a decrease in hydrophilicity, enhancing the barrier properties of the films. SEM images demonstrated good dispersion of CSNP/CEO within the matrix, improving mechanical and barrier properties. The films exhibited a 30 % reduction in water vapor permeability and water solubility. Controlled release studies indicated that the composite films sustained CEO release, extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes. Thus, these PVA/CMC/CA-CSNP/CEO composite films offer strong potential for food preservation applications.

Single or Blended Application of Non-Microbial Plant-Based Biostimulants and Trichoderma atroviride as a New Strategy to Enhance Greenhouse Cherry Tomato Performance.

The need to increase yield and enhance the sustainability of crop production systems has led to the development and employment of natural products, such as plant biostimulants. In recent years, a number of reports have researched the effects of biostimulants on plant performance; however, few studies have focused on the mutual application of microbial and/or non-microbial biostimulants. This research, conducted in the framework of the SO.MI.PR.O.N regional project, aimed to investigate the single or mutual application of three biostimulants, a tropical plant extract (PE), a vegetal protein hydrolysate (PH), and Trichoderma atroviride, on 'Creativo' F1 cherry tomato plants cultivated during two growing cycles (2022-2023 and 2023-2024). Our results showed that plants treated with the combination Tricho + PE + PH had statistically significant higher fresh shoot biomass (+64.2%, 1647.0 g plant-1), total fruit production (+37.9%, 1902.5 g plant-1), marketable fruit production (+52.9%, 1778.5 g plant-1), and average weight of marketable fruits (+53.1%, 17.0 g) compared to control plants (untreated plants). Furthermore, biostimulant treatments, especially T. atroviride, variably enhanced cherry tomato fruits' qualitative traits, such as firmness, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, lycopene, and total polyphenols compared to control plants. Overall, the best combinations to increase tomato fruit qualitative features were PE + PH, Tricho + PE, and Tricho + PH. From an economic point of view, the best treatment for achieving the highest net return was PE. This study underlines that biostimulant features (yield, qualitative aspects, and economic profitability) can be supported through the application of specific biostimulant combinations.

Small-Sized Tomato Pomace: Source of Bioactive Compounds and Ingredient for Sustainable Production of Functional Bread.

Tomato processing generates a by-product known as tomato pomace (TP), which contains chemically diverse valuable components such as lycopene, phenols, dietary fibre, proteins, and oil. The aim of this study was to characterize bioactive compounds in small-sized tomato pomace from cherry and date tomatoes and to evaluate the effects of the addition of 10 and 20% (w/w) of tomato pomace flour (TPF) to durum wheat dough for bread production. Bread containing different amounts of TPF was characterized by physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics. TPF is an important source of dietary fibre with a total content of approximately 52.3%, of which 5.3% is soluble and 47% is insoluble. It is also a potential source of natural antioxidants and contains remarkable residual levels of both total carotenoids and polyphenols. TPF addition reduced water loss during baking and significantly affected colour parameters and acidity; furthermore, both fortified TPF breads could use these nutrition and health claims and label the breads as "High Fibre". The "overall" sensory attribute showed similar values in the control and fortified bread samples, suggesting that the overall quality of the bread remained relatively constant, regardless of the percentage of added TPF.

Effects of Aluminum-Metalized Film on Improving Growth and Heat Insulation in Single-span Greenhouse for Semi-forcing Culture of Cherry Tomato

Effects of Aluminum-Metalized Film on Improving Growth and Heat Insulation in Single-span Greenhouse for Semi-forcing Culture of Cherry Tomato

Quality Assessment of South Indian Cherry Tomatoes Based on Deep and Convolutional Neural Networks

A few decades ago, quality assessment was a significant challenge in agriculture, even with tiny amounts of agricultural products. They are subject to diseases, pesticides, and environmental variables that have led to challenges to quality and safety. The quality evaluation of these items serves a crucial function in quality control and increases productivity before consumption. This paper proposes a deep neural network for solving Indian tomato diversity problems based on the assessment of their features. This study was carried out using four different categories of south Indian cherry tomatoes, i.e., spot, BER, calyx, and non-calyx. Thirty (30) relevant features were taken from an RGB-HIS color space: textural color moments, gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), and defective proportion. They were then normalized in MS-EXCEL with a Min-Max function and fed into a multilayer perception deep neural network (MLP-DNN) and a convolutional neural network (CNN), respectively. The MLP-DNN was made with ten (10) hidden layers and was used with a fine-tuned convolutional neural network (CNN) of Alex net architecture with eight (8) learned layers to do grading and detection separately using MATLAB 2018a software. The results of training, testing, and validating both networks showed that they did an excellent job of solving the two-class problem (good and bad), with an overall prediction accuracy of more than 97% and a bit of loss function in both cases. However, the algorithms can be improved and employed to detect defects and sort fruits or vegetables of all kinds in the agro-industry with a larger dataset to reduce overfitting and increase validation accuracy in the future.

The preparation of fish scale gelatin-polydopamine photothermal sterilization film and its application for storage of cherry tomato

In this study, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) were synthesized and fish scale gelatin (FSG) was extracted by hot water hydrolysis. The film for photothermal sterilization was created by casting FSG with the addition of PDA NPs. The results indicated that the PDA NPs were able to heat up to 46 °C in 5 min under near-infrared (NIR), demonstrating good photothermal conversion. The PDA NPs/FSG solution showed short-term bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with a bactericidal rate of more than 99 %. The PDA NPs/FSG film could warm up to 42.6 °C under NIR irradiation for 5 min. With the addition of 0.3 % of PDA NPs, the PDA NPs/FSG films showed high UV absorption, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability, and high water contact angle (WCA), improving the barrier to water and oxygen and the tensile strength. The 0.3 % PDA NPs/FSG film triggered by NIR effectively maintained the firmness, soluble solids content and appearance, and delayed the weight loss of cherry tomatoes. Thus, the PDA NPs/FSG films had good photothermal antimicrobial activity and could be used for extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes.

Determination of Local Cherry Tomato Genotypes' Agromorphological Features in Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan

The purpose of this study was to ascertain some morphological traits and interrelationships of 36 genotypes of cherry tomatoes that were gathered from Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. Measurements and observations include flower number of cluster, leaf length, leaf width, leaf attitude, fruit color, fruit neck shape, fruit cross-sectional shape, fruit weight, fruit firmness, time of maturity, number of locules, thickness of pericarp, and total soluable solid content, in accordance with the guidelines of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). The genotypes T40 (62.7 g), T24 (50.8 g), T107 (50 g), T103 (41.4 g), and T105 (40.8 g) had the highest average fruit weights, whereas T3 (9.4 g) and K1 (10.6 g) had the lowest fruit weights. The pericarp had an average thickness of 3.82 mm and an average of 2.49 locules. A spherical fruit cross-section was observed in 97.2% of genotypes. Genotype K2 had the highest total soluble solids content (TTSC%) at 9.4%, whereas genotype K13 had the lowest TTSC% at 3.1%. To measure the data, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used. Five separate principle component axes were identified via PCA, and these axes together account for 75.57% of the dataset's variation. These principal components' eigenvalues, which varied from 1.07 to 3.24, showed how much variance was accounted for by each component. The PCA results showed that the genotypes T107, T40, T105, and T87 performed better in PC1 in terms of the number of locules, fruit weight, fruit cross-sectional shape, and pericarp thickness characteristics. Fruit color was influenced by genotypes T90 and T142, fruit firmness by genotype T40, and total soluble solids content by genotype T98. The indigenous cherry tomato varieties from Turkey and Kyrgyzstan were shown to have a large amount of morphological variety, which may be useful for breeding initiatives in the future.

Transcriptome analysis of color-related gene expression in three differently colored cherry tomato fruits

Transcriptome analysis of color-related gene expression in three differently colored cherry tomato fruits

The application of ozone within the food industry, mode of action, current and future applications, and regulatory compliance.

The food industry faces numerous challenges today, with the prevention and reduction of microbial contamination being a critical focus. While traditional chemical-based methods are effective and widely used, rising energy costs, the development of microbial tolerances, and growing awareness of the ecological impact of chemical biocides have renewed interest in novel biocides. Ozone, in both its gaseous and aqueous forms, is recognized as a potent disinfectant against bacteria, viruses, and fungi due to its high oxidation potential. Our review highlights several studies on the applications of ozone within the food industry, including its use for surface and aerosol disinfection and its capacity to reduce viable Listeria monocytogenes, a pertinent foodborne pathogen harbouring environmental and biocide stress tolerances and biofilm former. We also explore the use of ozone in food treatment and preservation, specifically on blueberries, apples, carrots, cabbage, and cherry tomatoes. While ozone is an effective disinfectant, it is important to consider material incompatibility, and the risks associated with prolonged human exposure to high concentrations. Nevertheless, for certain applications, ozone proves to be an efficacious and valuable alternative or complementary method for microbial control. Compliance with the biocide products regulation will require ozone device manufacturers to produce proven efficacy and safety data in line with British standards based on European standards (BS EN), and researchers to propose adaptations to account for ozone's unique properties.

Effectiveness of Zeolite [LTA] amendment in improving the growth of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its physicochemical properties of soil

Effectiveness of Zeolite [LTA] amendment in improving the growth of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its physicochemical properties of soil

Developing an Active Biodegradable Bio-Based Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging Containing a Carvacrol-Emitting Sachet for Cherry Tomatoes.

This study aimed to develop an active biodegradable bio-based (polylactic acid/PLA) equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) containing a carvacrol-emitting sachet (created by poly-hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB-CARV) to extend the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes at 15 °C and 25 °C. Cherry tomatoes in macro-perforated polypropylene (PP) films (mimicking the commercial packaging) or in PLA-based micro-perforated film without the carvacrol sachet (PLA) were also tested. Weight loss, decay, headspace gases, pH, titratable acidity (TA), total suspended solids (TSS), ripening index, color, texture, total viable counts (TVC), and sensory analysis were performed. Decay was 40% in PLA-PHB-CARV, and 97% in PP after 20 days at 25 °C. PLA-PHB-CARV showed lower weight loss (p < 0.05) and stable firmness compared to PP and PLA at both temperatures. TSS and TA were not affected by the packaging at 15 °C, while at 25 °C, the TSS accumulation was inhibited in PLA-PHB-CARV compared to in PLA and PP (p < 0.05), indicating a notable delay in the ripening process. PLA-PHB-CARV retained their red color during storage compared to PP and PLA. Carvacrol addition inhibited TVC compared to PP and PLA by ca. 2.0 log CFU/g during storage at 25 °C, while at 15 °C, the packaging did not reveal a significant effect. Overall, the results indicated that the developed active EMAP may be adequately used as an advanced and alternative packaging for tomatoes or potentially other fruits with a similar respiration rate versus their conventional packaging, showing several advantages, e.g., a reduction in petrochemical-based plastics use, shelf-life extension of the packaged food, and consequently, the perspective of limiting food waste during distribution and retail or domestic storage.

Sustainable Starch-Based Films from Cereals and Tubers: A Comparative Study on Cherry Tomato Preservation

Biodegradable films are sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics, particularly in food preservation, where the barrier and mechanical properties are crucial for maintaining the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities of the product. This study evaluated films made from starches of corn, potato, cassava, yam, and wheat to determine their effectiveness in preserving cherry tomatoes. Amylose content, a key factor influencing the crystallinity and properties of the films, varied among the sources, with wheat starch having the highest (28.2%) and cassava the lowest (18.3%). The wheat starch film emerged as the best formulation, exhibiting the highest tensile strength and the lowest water vapor permeability (4.1 ± 0.3 g∙mm∙m−2∙h−1∙KPa−1), contributing to superior barrier performance. When applied to cherry tomatoes, the films based on wheat and corn starch showed the least moisture loss over fifteen days, highlighting their potential in fresh food preservation. These results suggest that starch-based films, specifically those rich in amylose, have significant potential as biodegradable packaging materials for food product conservation.