Development, evaluation and characteristic of economically valuable traits in new sterile line of tomato for producing hybrids in the South of Russia

Abstract

To meet the needs of the population and commodity producers in southern Russia for tomato fruits, it is necessary to develop hybrids of various purposes, taking into account their increased adaptability to abiotic environmental factors that meet modern production technologies and market requirements, as well as combine high economically valuable traits and an acceptable price for seeds. The use of lines with a sterility trait may reduce labor costs for the production of hybrids and improve their quality. The purpose of these studies was to develop sterile lines of tomato for open ground for various purposes (fresh consumption and processing) and to obtain high-yielding hybrids on their basis. As a result of the research carried out, promising functionally sterile lines of tomato with a number of economically valuable traits have been developed, including large fruit size, productivity, lack of stalk articulation, biochemical parameters and commercial attractiveness of fruits. According to the length of the growing season, all inbred lines were divided into 3 groups: mid-early, mid-season, and mid-late. Further involvement of new sterile lines in the hybridization process as parent components in development of heterotic tomato hybrids resistant to abiotic environmental factors will make it possible to develop hybrids of various purposes for growing in open ground in the soil and climatic conditions of southern Russia.