Selection of lines and populations of tomato for fruit shape and resistance to tomato leafminer

Resumo

Tomato is the second most consumed vegetable in Brazil and it is an important part of the Brazilian diet. However, the crop is subject to some obstacles that hinder production, among them the high rate of attack of arthropod pests, which contribute to a reduction in production and an increase in costs. The market requirement regarding fruit type varies from region to region and it is necessary to produce cultivars with different patterns of fruit morphology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to select lines with resistance to tomato leafminer and different fruit shapes in order to meet the different market segments. Seventy-six lines and pre-selected populations were used for pest resistance together with four other susceptible controls (TOM-584, TOM-684, NC-123S, and Santa Clara) and two wild accessions (Solanum pennellii ‘LA 716’ and S. habrochaites var. glabratum ‘PI-127826’) considered resistant. The experiment consisted of tests of resistance to the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta. The selection of lines was efficient, being obtained 33 lines or populations resistant to the tomato leafminer that comprise the market segments of the types of multilocular fruit, Santa Cruz, saladette or Italian, as well as intermediate standards of fruits.