Abstract

This study aimed to determine effect of three temperature levels on fruit firmness and weight in nine tomato lines in Kenya. Fruit firmness and weight loss were evaluated in a split plot design, temperature levels as main plots and tomato lines as sub-plots at the University of Nairobi, Pilot Seed Processing Plant. Fruits stored at 16°C showed the lowest average decrease in fruit firmness (58.19%) followed by 4°C (61.11%) while the highest loss of 73.34% was at 25°C. An average firmness loss of <47.59% was recorded in tomato lines after three weeks storage at 4°C and <50.62% after four weeks at 16°C. More than 50.31% loss was recorded after two weeks at 25°C. Tomato lines stored at 4°C recorded a weight loss of <38.76% throughout the storage period. More than 50.00% weight loss at 16°C was recorded after three weeks while at 25°C, the same loss was recorded after one week of storage. At 4°C, loss in fruit weight varied from 0.98% (AVTO1424) to 3.11% (Roma VF x AVTO1314) in week one and from 22.85% (AVTO1424) to 38.76% (AVTO1314) in week five. AVTO1424 had the lowest loss in fruit firmness and weight while Valoria selects had the highest.

Key words: Shelf-life, quality attributes, genotypes, fruit mass, storage conditions.