Vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality of ‘Cuore di Bue’, an heirloom tomato, as influenced by rootstock.

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Abstract

Heirloom tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) such as 'Cuore di Bue' are highly appreciated by consumers for theiroutstanding quality and flavour. Nowadays, they are often grafted onto vigorous rootstocks in order to overcomeseveral soil-borne diseases. The present study was conducted in 2007 and 2008 in Southern Italy. Plants of 'Cuore diBue', an heirloom 'oxheart' tomato, were grown in a greenhouse either as non-grafted plants, or grafted onto two interspecific(S. lycopersicum  S. habrochaites) rootstocks ('Beaufort F1' and 'Maxifort F1') in order to evaluate theireffects on vegetative growth, marketable yield, fruit quality, and the sensory properties of 'Cuore di Bue' tomato fruit.Growth analysis revealed that 'Maxifort F1' enhanced plant growth, particularly in terms of leaf area and leaf freshweight. Grafted plants had higher leaf area ratios (by 13%) and higher leaf dry weight fractions (by 18%) comparedto non-grafted 'Cuore di Bue' plants. Marketable yields increased by 20 - 25% in grafted plants in both years.However, total soluble solids (TSS) contents, titratable acidity (TA), and TSS/TA ratios were not significantly affectedby grafting.Vitamin C contents decreased by 14 - 20% in both years in the fruit of plants grafted onto either rootstock.The sensory profiles of fruit were not modified by grafting, although taste panelists expressed a higher preference forpurchasing fruit from plants grafted onto 'Maxifort F1'. These results confirm that, when using the appropriaterootstock/scion combination, grafting can improve plant growth and the marketable yield of heirloom tomato fruitwithout reducing the sensory quality of the fruit or its biochemical parameters. However, grafting can reduce vitaminC contents and, thus, nutritional quality.

Autore Pugliese

Tutti gli autori

  • Di Gioia F.; Serio F.; Buttaro D.; Ayala O.; Santamaria P.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Journal of horticultural science & biotechnology

Anno di pubblicazione

2010

ISSN

1462-0316

ISBN

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Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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