New tomato cultivar: SCS375 Kaiçara

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most produced and consumed vegetables in Brazil and in the world. Brazil is the eighth largest producer in the world and Santa Catarina is the seventh national producer, making the culture an activity of great economic and social importance. In the last decades, the production of tomatoes is going through transformations. The seeds of open pollinated cultivars are being replaced by hybrid seeds, which makes it impossible for producers to obtain their own seeds, making them dependent on external purchase. The national legislation for organic production guides the seeds used in the production process to come from organic production systems and from open pollinated cultivars. To meet this demand, researchers from the Epagri Vegetable Research Program began evaluating 57 open-pollinated tomato accessions obtained from tomato producers in 2003, evaluating productivity, pest and disease incidence, and fruit quality. After completing the process, the cultivar SCS375 Kaiçara was selected, presenting the desirable characteristics of the market.