Breeders' Sensory Test: A new tool for early selection in breeding for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) flavour

• Published in: Plant breeding Vol. 141; no. 1; pp. 96 - 107
• Main Authors: Hagenguth, Julia, Kanski, Larissa, Kahle, Hannah, Naumann, Marcel, Pawelzik, Elke, Becker, Heiko C., Horneburg, Bernd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2022
• Subjects: Acidity; Aroma; Dry matter; Evaluation; F2 generation; Flavor; Flavors; flavour; Heredity; heritability; Plant breeding; Sensory evaluation; Solanum lycopersicum; Sourness; Sweetness; tomato (Solanum lycopersicum); Tomatoes; Volatile compounds
• ISSN: 0179-9541; 1439-0523
• DOI: 10.1111/pbr.12994

For several decades, improved flavour has not been a main focus in tomato breeding because it is difficult and expensive to evaluate. Sensory panels are designed to assess flavour, but they are not able to evaluate large sample numbers typical for early breeding generations. Selection in the first segregating generation could enhance breeding for flavour by preventing the loss of favourable alleles. The efficiency of early selection is unknown due to the polygenetic inheritance of flavour. To address these issues, F2 plants from 32 crosses and their parents (910 individuals) were evaluated for aroma, sweetness and sourness with the Breeders' Sensory Test (small team and large number of small samples from individuals), as well as for physicochemical traits (total soluble solids, titratable acidity and dry matter), and volatile compounds in low‐input organic and hydroponic cultivation. Corresponding physicochemical and sensory traits were significantly correlated. For most of the studied traits, it was possible to select between single plants in the F2 generation. Thus, the Breeders' Sensory Test can be used as a new tool in breeding for flavour.