Intercultivar Variation in Composition of Locular and Pericarp Portions of Fresh Market Tomatoes1

Abstract

Locular content ranged between 14.4 and 35.0% among 7 cultivars of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.): ‘Calmart’, ‘Cal Ace’, ‘Ace 55’, ‘Early Pak 7’, ‘Earliana’, ‘Rick High Sugar’, and ‘Cherry’. There was a strong negative correlation between fruit weight and percent locular tissue. Based on means of all cultivars, the pericarp portion contained about 20% more reducing sugars and 36% more glucose than the locular portion. No significant differences in soluble solids content or fructose concentration were noted. The locular portion had 48 and 57% higher titratable acidity and citric acid, respectively, than the pericarp, but no differences in malic acid concentration or pH were observed. Cultivars with large locular portion and with high concentration of acids and sugars are those which have previously been found to be of good flavor quality.