Variety traits

Tomato fruit cracking

Solanum lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum

A physiological disorder of tomato fruits caused by the rupture of the epidermis due to a sudden increase in turgor pressure. It results in a loss of marketability, reduced transportability, and creates risks for secondary infection of the fruits.

In the reference 46 varieties crop Tomato, where this is mentioned in the description.

When assessing the condition of the fruit, researchers distinguish between radial cracking, extending from the stem end to the blossom end, and concentric cracking, which forms around the stem attachment zone. The assessment methodology is based on visual scoring of the damage level in a plot or sample, often using a point-based system, as well as recording the percentage of defective fruits by total yield weight and measuring the linear dimensions of the cracks.

A high susceptibility to cracking is an undesirable trait, whereas resistance to it serves as an important selection criterion for varieties intended for mechanical harvesting and long-term storage. Factors that provoke skin ruptures include irregular water supply, such as a sudden influx of moisture after drought, significant fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity, as well as deficiencies in calcium and potassium, which affect the elasticity of the epidermal tissues.

General information about the subject — on the page Fruit cracking.

Sources8

Varieties of Tomato mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.