The objective of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of simultaneous use of the ripening mutant (norª or rin) and color enhancing mutant genes (og c and/or hp) in tomato hybrids with different genotypic backgrounds and genotype combinations. The trial was set up in a plastic house, with in RCB design with 20 genotypes and 3 replications. Ripening mutant genotypes nor+/norª and rin+/rin reduced early yields, but not total yields. Genotypes bearing one or more mutants norª, rin, og c or hp showed improved shelf life in comparison to that of normal genotypes. The constitution rin+/rin showed the poorest internal color among the genotypes tested. There was a positive effect of og c+/og c, og c/og c and/or hp+/hp on the internal fruit color of normal nor+/norª and rin+/rin genotypes, but the effect in rin+/rin genotypes was not enough as to insure a final color similar to that of normal genotypes. Genotypic constitutions og c+/og c and og c/og c, in the og c locus, showed similar positive effects on both internal color and color of placentary jelly. The genotypic constitutions nor+/norªog c+/og c or nor+/norª og c+/og c hp+/hp were deemed the most promising genotypic combinations to attain improvements in both fruit shelf life and internal color.
Lycopersicon esculentum; alcobaça; rin; old gold crimson; high pigment; shelf life
