Heat Tolerance in Tomato

High temperature is the prevalent characteristic of subtropical and tropical regions and higher temperature has become an important limiting element for tomato production and yield. Although, tomato crops exhibit anatomical, morphological, physiological, phonological, and molecular responses to tackle with heat stress, but their reproductive stage and yields are extremely influenced by the high temperature. Various QTL’s, heat shock proteins, and genes were detected in terms of heat resistance in tomato however a few stress-resistant tomato varieties are developed through traditional breeding ways. This is because the complicatedness of heat resistant characteristics that may be handled by the activity of different genes whose expression patterns are induced by several environmental elements. Furthermore, resistance to heat stress is developmentally regulated, stage-special event and resistance at one step of crop improvement is sometimes not related to resistance at other growth steps. Therefore, to produce of tomato under heat stress successfully, resistance may be required at whole imperative steps of crop growth such as germination of seed, reproductive and vegetative steps. Recently, various molecular and classical markers for heat resistance were screened and MAS (Marker-Assisted Selection) may be applied to improve tolerance of tomato to heat stress via biotechnological and molecular methods. To study heat tolerance in tomato appropriately, this paper will be an appropriate material and will assist for future studies. [Faruq G, Zakaria HP, Arash N. Heat Tolerance in Tomato. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):1936-1950] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 293