Breeding Long Shelf-Life (LSL) Tomato Landraces to Non-Trellised Culture and Water Deficit Irrigation: The Effect on Yield and Postharvest Storage

Non-trellised culture of tomato is gaining interest among farmers cultivating long shelf-life (LSL) landraces because the reduction in production costs. This cropping system can benefit from selection determinate growth genotypes, mirroring advancements achieved processing tomatoes. With this aim, and profiting natural variation found within Penjar landrace, we selected traditional genotypes breed novel lines carrying both self-pruning (sp) compound inflorescence (s) mutations. Traditional breeding were compared to commercial controls a three multi-locality trial under two irrigation regimes (normal watered, 100% ETc; water deficit, 50% ETc). Water use efficiency, harvest index, yield fruit quality traits studied at harvest. During postharvest, effects genotype management practices on shelf life assessed different storage conditions (controlled conditions/cold storage/farmer facilities). All used more efficiently deficit than normal irrigation. Harvest index was improved neither affected by locality nor factors. Breeding showed yields similar ones; however, they displayed plant architecture that facilitated their management. They also presented higher postharvest lines. Shelf significantly (G), (L, early stages), regime (I, later with contribution phenotypic variance increasing along postharvest. Low watering increased some while cold high humidity impeded trait. Overall, sunscald incidence percentage unripe fruits when using single strategy are major limitations for non-trellised tomato. In conclusion, study sheds light main aspects targets promote combination optimal efficiency.