Morphological Diversity, Genetic Characterization, and Phytochemical Assessment of the Cypriot Tomato Germplasm

Filio Athinodorou; Petros Foukas; Georgios Tsaniklidis; Anastasios Kotsiras; Antonios Chrysargyris; Costas Delis; Angelos C Kyratzis; Nikolaos Tzortzakis; Nikolaos Nikoloudakis

doi:10.3390/plants10081698

Morphological Diversity, Genetic Characterization, and Phytochemical Assessment of the Cypriot Tomato Germplasm

Plants (Basel). 2021 Aug 18;10(8):1698. doi: 10.3390/plants10081698.

Authors

Filio Athinodorou¹, Petros Foukas¹, Georgios Tsaniklidis², Anastasios Kotsiras³, Antonios Chrysargyris¹, Costas Delis³, Angelos C Kyratzis⁴, Nikolaos Tzortzakis¹, Nikolaos Nikoloudakis¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Science, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus.
² Department of Viticulture, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Plant Protection, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Mesa Katsabas, 71307 Heraklion, Greece.
³ Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Agricultural Technology and Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Peloponnese, 24100 Kalamata, Greece.
⁴ Vegetable Crop Sector, Agricultural Research Institute-Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus.

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is considered one of the most valuable and versatile vegetable crops globally and also serves as a significant model species for fruit developmental biology. Despite its significance, a severe genetic bottleneck and intense selection of genotypes with specific qualitative traits have resulted in the prevalence of a restricted number of (geno)types, also causing a lack of diversity across widespread cultivated types. As a result, the re-emergence of landraces as well as traditional and heirloom varieties is largely acknowledged as a countermeasure to restore phenotypic, phytochemical and genetic diversity while enriching the aroma/taste tomato palette. On those grounds, the Cypriot tomato germplasm was assessed and characterized. Ten landrace accessions were evaluated under greenhouse conditions and data were collected for 24 IPGRI discrete phenotypic traits. Grouping of accessions largely reflected the fruit shape and size; four different fruit types were recorded across accessions (flattened, heart-shaped, rounded and highly rounded). Moreover, a single run panel consisting of ten SSRs was developed and applied in order to genetically characterize 190 Cypriot genotypes and foreign heirloom varieties. Based on genetic indexes it was established that tomato landraces have a rather low level of heterogeneity and genetic variation. Finally, mineral and phytochemical analyses were conducted in order to estimate biochemical attributes (total phenolics, ascorbic acid, lycopene, β-carotene, total soluble content, titratable acidity) across genotypes; thus, ascertaining that the Cypriot panel has a high nutritional value. Due to the thermo-drought adaptation and tolerance of these genotypes, the current study serves as a roadmap for future breeding efforts in order to incorporate desirable traits or develop novel tomato lines combining resilience and alimentary value.

Keywords: Solanum lycopersicon; ascorbic acid; carotenoids; heirloom varieties; landraces; microsatellites; minerals; phenolics.