Sampling technique for optimum worth of the fruit characters in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Different fruit characters including quality characters of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are influenced by environment and other factors hence, the present investigation was carried out employing nine genotypes to determine the fruit sampling technique through the study on the variation in different fruit characters in the genotypes, in different clusters of the main stem and different fruits of the same cluster in the same genotype. Considering the variation in fruit characters with the year, genotypes, cluster position and fruit position in the cluster it was suggested to repeat the evaluation of the genotypes and to sample the first and last fruit of the third cluster for recording fruit weight, polar and equatorial diameter and pericarp thickness and to use the composite sample from these fruits for estimation of proximate compositions of fruits, viz. TSS, β carotene and lycopene contents following standard methods to ascertain the genotypic worth for different quantitative and quality characters of fruit in tomato.