Color and physical properties of two common tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars

Author: H. Caglar Kaymak ^1*, Ismail Ozturk ², Fatih Kalkan ², Mazhar Kara ² and Sezai Ercisli ¹

Received 20 September 2009, accepted 2 March 2010.

Abstract

Color and several physical characteristics of two common tomato cultivars (Alida F₁ and H2274) grown in Erzincan region in Turkey have been determined. The cultivar H2274 had higher chroma value (41.27%) indicating better color intensity than Alida F₁ (38.87%). The axial dimensions (length, width and thickness) of cultivars were determined as 72.72 mm, 70.07 mm and 57.30 mm for cv. Alida F₁ and 75.73 mm, 70.84 mm and 61.63 mm for cv. H2274. The aspect ratios (%) were between 93.72 (cv. H2274) and 96.38 (cv. Alida F₁), respectively. The static coefficient of friction on aluminium, steel and plywood surfaces were 0.32, 0.31 and 0.25 for cv. Alida F₁ and 0.31, 0.31 and 0.25 for cv. H2274 indicating no differences among cultivars. Among the cultivars, cv H2274 had higher average fruit mass (185.68 g) compared to cv. Alida F₁ (172.37 g). The porosity was higher in cv. Alida F₁ (48.54%) compared to cv. H2274 (45.08%). Fruit density as kg/cm³ ranged from 1025 (cv. H2274) to 1069 (Alida F₁).

Key words: Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., physical properties.