ABSTRACT
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) belongs to the Solanaceae family, and it is one of the most widely produced vegetable crops in the world. Tomato fruit is used in fresh consumption, cooked, and for processing (canning, juice, pulp, paste, and sauces). Several studies have shown strong inverse correlations between tomato consumption and the risk of certain types of cancer (e.g., prostate cancer/enlargement), cardiovascular diseases, and age-related muscular degeneration (reviewed (by Dorais et al., 2008)). This horticulture crop is a perennial diploid dicotyledon (2n = 24), but it is grown as an annual plant in temperate regions as plants and fruit are injured when they are exposed to non-freezing temperatures below 12°C. There are large numbers of tomato cultivars for open field and greenhouse cultivations. These include five major fruit types: classic round tomatoes (the most popular varieties), cherry and cocktail tomatoes (smaller than the classic tomatoes), plum and baby plum tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and vine or truss tomatoes. The global production of tomato totaled 170.8 million tons in 2017. China, India, and the United States are the countries with the highest production of tomatoes in the world. Because they are easily grown, this vegetable crop is used as a model plant in many types of research, including biochemical, molecular, and genetic studies, as well as physiological and seed germination experiments.
