Abstract:
In response to urgent demand to raise awareness of the nutritional and health benefits of
tomato consumption and to advocate for healthy diets through increased sustainable production
and consumption of fruits and vegetables, this study is intended to promote a healthy and balanced
lifestyle, sharing the best practices of production and consumption. The aim of this research was to
compare the effects of the growing system (field vs. plastic tunnel) and of genotype characteristics for
organic improved tomato genotypes. The research was carried out in the 2019 and 2020 years on eight
improved tomato genotypes. The results showed that the ascorbic acid content presented higher
values for organic tomatoes cultivated in the field for all genotypes studied, with an upper limit of
18.57 mg 100 g1 FW. In contrast, the content in -carotene and lycopene showed higher values for
genotypes grown under plastic tunnel conditions. Significant statistical differences were noticed
concerning the mean values of all genotypes according to cultivation conditions (field vs. plastic
tunnel) for most parameters excepting total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), maturity index
(MI) and flavor index (FI). This highlights the major importance of the selection of some genotypes
of tomatoes that respond positively to the organic cultivation system in terms of the presence
of the antioxidants compounds (vitamin C, lycopene, and carotene) in representative quantities.
Genotype 3 is highlighted by the highest content in carotene (7.4 mg 100 g1 F.W.) and lycopene
(8.4 mg 100 g1 F.W.) and genotype 5 by the highest content in vitamin C (16.8 mg 100 g1 F.W.). The
results of the study suggest that by applying appropriate techniques for growing organic tomatoes
in the plastic tunnel system, the antioxidant substrate can be optimized compared to the results
obtained for the field system.
