Avaliação sensorial, fitotécnica e nutracêutica de genótipos de tomateiro visando a seleção para sistemas orgânicos de produção

Abstract

Tomato production following the principles of organic production systems is increasingly significant due to consumer concern about the harmful effects of conventional farming and the current scenario of climate change. However, there is still a lack of genotypes adapted to this system and destined for subtropical conditions, highlighting the need to develop new genotypes. To meet the demands of farmers and consumers, these genotypes must present diverse characteristics, including productive capacity and physicochemical quality, sensory profile desired by consumers, functional quality, and genetic resistance to diseases. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the sensory, phytotechnical, and nutraceutical potential of functional compounds in tomato genotypes developed by the UTFPR breeding program, aiming at the selection and recommendation for future use by organic farmers in southwestern Paraná. Initially, four out of ten experimental genotypes previously developed by the breeding program were selected: 1716, 1717, 1718, and 1729. The fruits of these genotypes and their parents (HC, GA, and BGT_16) were subjected to sensory evaluations. The evaluations followed the preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) methodology. Two consumer groups were evaluated: one group of organic product consumers who participated in all stages of PAE, and another group of general consumers who participated only in the acceptance stage. Subsequently, the fruits were subjected to basic physicochemical evaluations. In the second phase, these genotypes, with the exception of 1716, which was replaced by two lines derived from 1729 (1729R and 1729A) in addition to the commercial control SCS375 Kaiçara, were evaluated for agronomic and physicochemical variables during two years of cultivation in a protected environment under organic production management. Evaluative trials were implemented in a randomized block design with four replications. In each trial, fruits from the middle third of the plants were collected at the red ripening stage for functional compound evaluations. After selecting samples from each genotype, the fruits were lyophilized for the extraction of functional carotenoids. After the extraction step with organic solvents, the extract was rotary evaporated, resuspended in a new solvent mixture, filtered using a syringe, and injected into a high-performance liquid chromatograph to determine the levels of each carotenoid. Sensory analysis identified thirteen attributes, and six were considered most important for acceptance: sweet taste, red color, juiciness, firmness of chewing, size, and sour taste. The fruits of genotypes 1718 and 1729 showed good acceptance by organic consumers, according to the most important attributes. Genotype 1717 showed good acceptance by consumers in general, especially regarding flavor and texture. In phytotechnical evaluations, the genotypes showed superior performance in 2023 for the most relevant variables in selection, commercial production, and the ratio between soluble solids and titratable acidity. Genotype 1718 stood out among the experimental genotypes for the agronomic variable, and the others, except 1729R, presented adequate results for the physicochemical variable. The concentration of carotenoids was higher in 2024, especially for lycopene. For this carotenoid, 1729A stood out, as it exhibited adequate levels and less variation between years. Thus, the experimental genotypes were selected based on positive and negative points of the most relevant sensory, phytotechnical, and functional quality variables. The order was: 1st 1729A; 2nd 1718; and 3rd 1729R. Thus, these genotypes instantly increase the options for genotypes adapted to organic systems and protected cultivation for organic farmers in southwestern Paraná.