Distant Hybridization in Tomato for Lycopene Improvement

Lycopene, a natural red pigment found in tomato, is a strong antioxidant found to be correlated with reduced incidence of some cancers and heart related ailments. Eleven varieties of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and two tomato wild relative (Solanumpimpinellifolium) germplasm lines were sown to raise nursery in the prepared nursery beds in the farm. Three weeks old nursery plants were then transplanted in three replications, each in random block design (RBD). Tomato fruits harvested from each variety were used for lycopene content analysis by HPLC method. Analysis revealed that Lycopene content varied significantly among the tomato varieties, with cherry tomato accession EC-520074 having the highest lycopene content. Results indicate that genetics and choice of cultivation environment may have a strong influence on tomato lycopene content. The results indicate that there is a stark change in the lycopene concentration in positive direction on crossing the wild cultivar with the best cultivated variety. The resultant Fj between wild and cultivated species has a marketable fruit size, thick flesh along with increased lycopene concentration in the fruit.