Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) seed conservation strategies: A veritable tool for improvement and breeding programmes

Abstract

An experiment on tomato seed production was conducted in the cropping seasons of 2017/2018 on three genotypes of tomatoes NG/AA/SEP/09/042, AK/1/18 and AK/2/18. A randomized complete block design replicated four times was adopted on seedlings raised in the nursery for 2 – 3 weeks and transplanted to the open field at a spacing of 30 cm x 60 cm within and between rows. Morphological and yield traits were measured and all cultural practices such as weeding, thinning, pest and disease control measures were carried out periodically in order to ensure a clean and disease-free condition. At fruit maturity, ripen fruits were plucked and seeds extracted from the berry, air-dried under ambient temperature of 270C to 300C and relative humidity of 60 – 70% for about 5 – 6 days. The air-dried seeds were then stored in a perforated plastic container for good aeration but devoid of insect infestation. In this condition the seeds can store for about 24 months and still retain its viability status. The result showed that NG/AA/SEP/09/042 and AK/1/18 had the highest number of fruits yield and the heaviest fruit weight among the three genotypes therefore good quality seeds could be obtained from them. Therefore, improvement of the AK/2/18 can be carried out through hybridization programme. It is recommended that for seed conservation programmes the target should be plants with the highest number of fruits.