Mathematical Approaches for Grouping Large-fruited Tomato Accessions According To Some Morphological and Biochemical Traits of the Fruit

Abstract

A three-year study of a collection of 23 large-fruited determinate tomato accessions with a different geographical origin from the ex situ collection of IPGR – Sadovo and Bulgarian cultivar Bononia as a standard was carried out. Through cluster analysis, accessions were divided into four groups based on similarities in morphological and biochemical characteristics of the fruit. Mathematical evaluation of the all characteristics values by Duncan methodology was carried. The analysis shows that the main indicator which divided the evaluated tomato collection is fruit mass. It was found that local forms from expedi¬tions are within the same cluster, characterized by the high values of all parameters and the differences with other accessions are statistically proven. The introduced genotype from Germany with a catalogue number A7000116 is with the lowest fruit weight, but with the highest biochemical values with a statistical evidence of differences with other accessions and falls into a separate cluster. There was a good agreement between results obtained with both statistical methods. The survey identified valuable genetic resources in favor of large-fruited tomato selection.