title: Effects of variety on the quality of tomato stored under ambient conditions.
abstract: Three processing and six fresh market tomato varieties harvested at "mature green" stage were evaluated for changes in quality. The total soluble solid, titratable acidity, sugar-acid ratio, pH, ascorbic acid content, colour and firmness were assessed. The storage room air temperature and relative humidity varied from 15.4(○)C to 16.2(○)C and 34.8% to 52.4%, respectively. At harvest, Marglobe Improved had better chemical quality characteristics compared with the other five fresh market varieties while towards the end of the storage period, chemical quality characteristics were maintained better in Fetane. The highest pH and sugar/acid ratio were obtained in Metadel compared with all other varieties throughout the storage period. Among the processing tomato variety, Roma VF had better chemical quality than other two processing varieties. Melkashola had the highest total soluble solid content in the group. Although the processing varieties ripened earlier than fresh market ones, they were notably firmer with better quality. The processing types were better in their chemical quality than fresh market genotypes. The fresh table tomato varieties had higher sugar-acid ratio and vitamin C. Marglobe Improved and Metadel could be selected in favor of higher nutritional quality whereas Fetane could be considered for maintenance of better overall quality characteristics.
authors.affiliation: School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Private Bag X0l, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville 3209 South Africa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tigist
authors.affiliation: School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Private Bag X0l, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville 3209 South Africa.
authors.forename: Tilahun Seyoum
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Workneh
authors.affiliation: School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Private Bag X0l, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville 3209 South Africa.
authors.forename: Kebede
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woldetsadik
keywords: Chemical; Colour; Firmness; Quality; Tomato; Variety