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'{{Other uses}} {{pp-move-indef}} {{taxobox |name = Tomato |image = Bright red tomato and cross section02.jpg |image_width = 250px |image_caption = Cross-section and full view of a hothouse (greenhouse-grown) tomato. |regnum = [[Plantae]] |unranked_divisio = [[Angiosperms]] |unranked_classis = [[Eudicots]] |unranked_ordo = [[Asterids]] |ordo = [[Solanales]] |familia = [[Solanaceae]] |subfamilia = [[Solanoideae]] |tribus = [[Solaneae]] |genus = ''[[Solanum]]'' |species = '''''S. lycopersicum''''' |binomial = ''Solanum lycopersicum'' |binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] |synonyms = ''Lycopersicon lycopersicum''<br />''Lycopersicon esculentum''<ref name=NHM>{{ cite web | quote = Molecular phylogenetic analyses have established that the formerly segregate genera Lycopersicon, Cyphomandra, Normania, and Triguera are nested within Solanum, and all species of these four genera have been transferred to Solanum | url = http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/solanaceaesource/solanum/phylogeny.jsp | publisher = Natural History Museum | title = Solanaceae Source: Phylogeny of the genus Solanum }}</ref> |}} {{Pizza}} TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO The word "'''tomato'''" may refer to the plant ('''''Solanum lycopersicum''''') or the edible, typically red, [[fruit]] that it bears. Having originated in America, the tomato was spread around the world following the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas]], and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in [[greenhouse]]s in cooler climates. The tomato is consumed in diverse ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes and sauces, and in drinks. While it is botanically a fruit, it is considered a [[vegetable]] for culinary purposes (as well as by the United States Supreme Court, see ''[[Nix v. Hedden]]''), which has caused some confusion. The fruit is rich in [[lycopene]], which may have beneficial health effects. The tomato belongs to the [[Solanaceae|nightshade family]]. The plants typically grow to {{convert|1|-|3|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in height and have a weak stem that often sprawls over the ground and vines over other plants. It is a [[perennial plant|perennial]] in its native habitat, although often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an [[annual plant|annual]]. ==History== ===Mesoamerica=== Aztecs and other peoples in [[Mesoamerica]] used the fruit in their cooking. The exact date of domestication is unknown: by 500 BCE, it was already being cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas.<ref name="the tomato in America">{{ Cite book | author = Smith, A. F. | year = 1994 | title = The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture, and Cookery | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | location = Columbia SC, USA | isbn = 1-57003-000-6 }}{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}</ref>{{rp|13}} The [[Pueblo]] people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of [[divination]].<ref>{{Cite news | author = Donnelly, L. | url = http://www.easthamptonstar.com/dnn/Archive/Home20080814/FoodWine/Seasons/tabid/6280/Default.aspx | title = Killer Tomatoes | work = [[The East Hampton Star]] | date = 2008-10-26 | accessdate = 2008-10-27 }}{{dead link|date=September 2011}}</ref> The large, lumpy tomato, a mutation from a smoother, smaller fruit, originated in Mesoamerica, and may be the direct ancestor of some modern cultivated tomatoes.<ref name="the tomato in America" /> [[File:End of Summer Tomatoes.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Tomatoes which have not ripened uniformly]] ===Spanish distribution=== Spanish [[conquistador]] [[Hernán Cortés]] may have been the first to transfer the small yellow tomato to Europe after he captured the Aztec city of Tenochtítlan, now Mexico City, in 1521, although [[Christopher Columbus]], a Genoese working for the Spanish monarchy, may have taken them back as early as 1493. The earliest discussion of the tomato in European literature appeared in an [[herbal]] written in 1544 by [[Pietro Andrea Mattioli]], an Italian physician and botanist, who suggested that a new type of [[eggplant]] had been brought to Italy that was blood red or golden color when mature and could be divided into segments and eaten like an eggplant—that is, cooked and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and oil. However it wasn't until ten years later that tomatoes were named in print by Mattioli as ''pomi d’oro'', or "golden apple".<ref name="the tomato in America">{{ Cite book | author = Smith, A. F. | year = 1994 | title = The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture, and Cookery | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | location = Columbia SC, USA | isbn = 1-57003-000-6 }}{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}</ref>{{rp|13}} After the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas]], the Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the [[Caribbean]]. They also took it to the [[Philippines]], from where it spread to [[southeast Asia]] and then the entire Asian continent. The Spanish also brought the tomato to Europe. It grew easily in [[Mediterranean climate]]s, and cultivation began in the 1540s. It was probably eaten shortly after it was introduced, and was certainly being used as food by the early 17th century in Spain. The earliest discovered cookbook with tomato recipes was published in [[Naples]] in 1692, though the author had apparently obtained these recipes from Spanish sources.<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} In certain areas of Italy, such as Florence, however, the fruit was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was incorporated into the local cuisine in the late 17th or early 18th century. ===Italy=== The recorded history of tomatoes in Italy dates back to October 31, 1548 when the house steward of [[Cosimo de' Medici]], the grand duke of [[Tuscany]], wrote to the Medici private secretary informing him that the basket of tomatoes sent from the grand duke's Florentine estate at [[Torre del Gallo]] "had arrived safely." Tomatoes were grown mainly as ornamentals early on after their arrival in Italy. For example, the Florentine aristocrat Giovanvettorio Soderini wrote how they "were to be sought only for their beauty" and were grown only in gardens or flower beds. The tomato's ability to mutate and create new and different varieties helped contribute to its success and spread throughout Italy. However, even in areas where the climate supported growing tomatoes, their proximity of growing to the ground suggested low status. They were not adopted as a staple of the peasant population because they were not as filling as other fruits already available. Additionally, both toxic and inedible varieties discouraged many people from attempting to consume or prepare them.<ref>A History of the Tomato in Italy Pomodoro!. David Gentilcore (New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2010).</ref> ===Britain=== [[File:BoroughMarketTomatoes.jpg|thumb|right|Tomatoes on display at Borough Market in London]] Tomatoes were not grown in England until the 1590s.<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} One of the earliest cultivators was [[John Gerard]], a [[Barber surgeon|barber-surgeon]].<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} Gerard's ''Herbal'', published in 1597, and largely plagiarized from continental sources,<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} is also one of the earliest discussions of the tomato in England. Gerard knew the tomato was eaten in Spain and Italy.<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} Nonetheless, he believed it was poisonous<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} (in fact, the plant and raw fruit do have low levels of [[tomatine]], but are not generally dangerous; [[#Plant toxicity|see below]]). Gerard's views were influential, and the tomato was considered unfit for eating (though not necessarily poisonous) for many years in [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]] and its [[Thirteen Colonies|North American colonies]].<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|17}} By the mid-18th century, tomatoes were widely eaten in Britain, and before the end of that century, the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' stated the tomato was "in daily use" in [[soup]]s, [[broth]]s, and as a [[garnish (food)|garnish]]. ===Asia=== The tomato was introduced to cultivation in the Middle East/Asia by John Barker, British consul in Aleppo ''circa'' 1799 to 1825.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=British_Consuls_in_Aleppo | title = British Consuls in Aleppo – Your Archives | publisher = Yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk | date = 2009-01-26 | accessdate = 2009-04-02 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=6QUZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA519&dq=tomato+syria&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1776&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=1900&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES | chapter = Syria under the last five Turkish Sultans | title = Appletons' Journal | volume = 1 | publisher = D. Appleton and Co. | year = 1876 | page = 519 }}</ref> Nineteenth century descriptions of its consumption are uniformly as an ingredient in a cooked dish. In 1881, it is described as only eaten in the region "within the last forty years".<ref>{{ cite book | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=pnkrAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA223&dq=tomato+syria&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1776&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=1900&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES | title = The Friend | volume = 54 | year = 1881 | page = 223 }}</ref> The tomato entered Iran through two separate routes;{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} one was through Turkey and Armenia, and the other was through the [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] royal family's frequent travels to France. The early name used for tomato in Iran was ''Armani badenjan'' (Armenian eggplant). Currently, the name used for tomato in Iran is ''gojeh farangi'' [French plum]. ===North America=== The earliest reference to tomatoes being grown in [[British North America]] is from 1710, when herbalist [[William Salmon]] reported seeing them in what is today [[South Carolina]].<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|25}} They may have been introduced from the Caribbean. By the mid-18th century, they were cultivated on some Carolina plantations, and probably in other parts of the Southeast as well. Possibly, some people continued to think tomatoes were poisonous at this time; and in general, they were grown more as [[ornamental plant]]s than as food. [[Thomas Jefferson]], who ate tomatoes in Paris, sent some seeds back to America.<ref name="the tomato in America"/>{{rp|28}} Alexander W. Livingston was the first person who succeeded in upgrading the wild tomato, developing different breeds and stabilizing the plants. In the 1937 yearbook of the Federal Department of Agriculture, it was declared that "half of the major varieties were a result of the abilities of the Livingstons to evaluate and perpetuate superior material in the tomato". Livingston's first breed of tomato, the Paragon, was introduced in 1870. In 1875, he introduced the Acme, which was said to be involved in the parentage of most of the tomatoes introduced by him and his competitors for the next twenty-five years.<ref name="About Reynoldsburg">[http://www.ci.reynoldsburg.oh.us/about-reynoldsburg.aspx About Reynoldsburg], City of Reynoldsburg. Retrieved 2010-27-7.</ref> When Alexander W. Livingston had begun his attempts to develop the tomato as a commercial crop, his aim had been to grow tomatoes smooth in contour, uniform in size and having better flavor. One year, after many attempts, he passed through his fields, picking out particular tomato plants having distinct characteristics and heavy foliage. He saved the seeds carefully. The following spring he set two rows across his family garden located just below the hill and milk house. To his happy surprise, each plant bore perfect tomatoes like the parent vine. After five years, the fruit became fleshier and larger. In 1870, Alexander introduced the Paragon and tomato culture began at once to be a great enterprise of the county. Today, the crop is grown in every state in the Union. He eventually developed over seventeen different varieties of the tomato plant.<ref name="About Reynoldsburg"/> Because of the long growing season needed for this heat-loving crop, several states in the US [[Sun Belt]] became major tomato-producers, particularly [[Florida]] and [[California]]. In California, tomatoes are grown under [[irrigation]] for both the fresh fruit market and for [[Canned tomatoes|canning]] and processing. The [[University of California, Davis]] (UC Davis) became a major center for research on the tomato. The C.M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center at UC Davis is a gene bank of wild relatives, monogenic mutants and miscellaneous genetic stocks of tomato.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/ | title = C. M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center | publisher = UC Davis | date = | accessdate = 2009-04-02 }}</ref> The Center is named for the late Dr. [[Charles M. Rick]], a pioneer in tomato genetics research.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/4319 | title = UC Newsroom, UC Davis Tomato Geneticist Charles Rick Dies at 87 | publisher = University of California | date = 2002-05-08 | accessdate = 2009-04-02 }}</ref> Research on processing tomatoes is also conducted by the [http://www.tomatonet.org/ctri.htm California Tomato Research Institute] in [[Escalon, California]]. In California, growers have used a method of cultivation called [[dry-farming]], especially with [[Early Girl]] tomatoes.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n4_v189/ai_12884209/] Dry farming's advantage</ref> This technique encourages the plant to send roots deep to find existing moisture in soil that retains moisture, such as clayey soil. === Modern commercial varieties === The poor taste and lack of sugar in modern garden and commercial tomato varieties resulted from breeding of tomatoes which ripen uniformly red. This change occurred after discovery of a variety in the mid 20th century which ripened uniformly which was then widely cross-bred to produce attractive red fruit without the typical green ring surrounding the stem on uncross-bred varieties. Prior to general introduction of this trait tomatoes were able to produce more sugar during the process of ripening and were sweeter and more flavorful.<ref name=Chloroplast>{{cite journal|coauthors=Ann L. T. Powell, Cuong V. Nguyen, Theresa Hill, KaLai Lam Cheng, Rosa Figueroa-Balderas, Hakan Aktas, Hamid Ashrafi, Clara Pons, Rafael Fernández-Muñoz, Ariel Vicente, Javier Lopez-Baltazar, Cornelius S. Barry, Yongsheng Liu, Roger Chetelat, Antonio Granell, Allen Van Deynze, James J. Giovannoni, Alan B. Bennett|title=Uniform ripening Encodes a Golden 2-like Transcription Factor Regulating Tomato Fruit Chloroplast Development|journal=Science|date=June 29, 2012|volume=336|issue=6089|pages=1711–1715|doi=10.1126/science.1222218|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6089/1711|accessdate=June 29, 2012|quote=Modern tomato...varieties are bred for uniform ripening (u) light green fruit phenotypes to facilitate harvests of evenly ripened fruit. U encodes a...factor...which determines chlorophyll accumulation and distribution in developing fruit. [The factor] influences photosynthesis in developing fruit, contributing to mature fruit characteristics and suggesting that selection of u inadvertently compromised ripe fruit quality in exchange for desirable production traits.}}</ref><ref name=NYT62912>{{cite news|title=Flavor Is Price of Scarlet Hue of Tomatoes, Study Finds|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/science/flavor-is-the-price-of-tomatoes-scarlet-hue-geneticists-say.html|accessdate=June 29, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 28, 2012|author=Gina Kolata}}</ref> ==Cultivation== The tomato is now grown worldwide for its edible [[fruit]]s, with thousands of [[cultivar]]s having been selected with varying fruit types, and for optimum growth in differing growing conditions. Cultivated tomatoes vary in size, from tomberries, about 5&nbsp;mm in diameter, through [[cherry tomato]]es, about the same {{convert|1|–|2|cm|in|1|sp=us}} size as the wild tomato, up to [[Beefsteak (tomato)|beefsteak]] tomatoes {{convert|10|cm|in|0|sp=us}} or more in diameter. The most widely grown commercial tomatoes tend to be in the {{convert|5|–|6|cm|in|1|sp=us}} diameter range. Most cultivars produce red fruit, but a number of cultivars with yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, black, or white fruit are also available. Multicolored and striped fruit can also be quite striking. Tomatoes grown for [[canning]] and sauces are often elongated, {{convert|7|–|9|cm|in|0|sp=us}} long and {{convert|4|–|5|cm|in|1|sp=us}} diameter; they are known as [[plum tomato]]es, and have a lower water content. [[Roma tomato|Roma]]-type tomatoes are important cultivars in the [[Sacramento Valley]].<ref name="smithsonian-passion">{{cite web | url = http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/passion-for-tomatoes.html | title = A Passion for Tomatoes | author = Allen, A. | year = 2008 | month = August | accessdate = 2009-12-11 }}</ref> [[File:Tomatoseedlings.jpg|thumb|left|Tomato seedlings growing indoors]] Tomatoes are one of the most common garden fruits in the United States and, along with [[zucchini]], have a reputation for outproducing the needs of the grower. [[File:Green Tomatoes.jpg|thumb|Green tomatoes nestled on the vine]] Quite a few seed merchants and banks provide a large selection of heirloom seeds. The definition of an heirloom tomato is vague, but unlike commercial hybrids, all are self-pollinators that have [[True breeding organism|bred true]] for 40 years or more.<ref name="smithsonian-passion"/> About 150 million tons of tomatoes were produced in the world in 2009. China, the largest producer, accounted for about one quarter of the global output, followed by United States and [[India]]. For one variety, plum or processing tomatoes, California accounts for 90% of U.S. production and 35% of world production.<ref name=UCProcessing>{{ cite web | url = http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/7228.pdf | author = Hartz, T. ''et al.'' | title = Processing Tomato Production in California | publisher = UC Vegetable Research and Information Center }}</ref> According to [[FAOSTAT]], the top producers of tomatoes (in [[tonne]]s) in 2010 were:<ref>FAOSTAT, [http://faostat3.fao.org/home/index.html#COMPARE Crop statistics]</ref> {| class="wikitable" border="1" style="float:left; clear:left;" |- ! colspan=2|Top Five Tomato Producers – 2010<br />(in tonnes) |- | {{CHN}} || style="text-align:right;"| 41,879,684 |- | {{USA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 12,902,000 |- | {{IND}} || style="text-align:right;"| 11,979,700 |- | {{TUR}} || style="text-align:right;"| 10,052,000 |- | {{EGY}} || style="text-align:right;"| 8,544,990 |- |'''World Total''' || style="text-align:right;"| '''145,751,507''' (11th overall) |} {{-}} Within the EU, there are several areas that grow tomatoes with [[Protected Geographical Status]]. These include: * [[Pomodoro di Pachino]] (PGI), in [[Sicily]] * [[San Marzano tomato|Pomodoro S. Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino]] (PDO), in south Italy * [[Tomaten von der Insel Reichenau]] (PGI), from [[Reichenau Island]], Germany * [[Pomodorino_del_Piennolo_del_Vesuvio]] (PDO), in Mt Vesuvius area. ===Varieties=== {{Mainlist|List of tomato cultivars}} [[File:Cherry tomatoes.jpg|thumb|Cherry tomatoes]] [[File:Grape tomatoes - various colors upon ripening.jpg|thumb|Cherry tomatoes – various colors upon ripening]] There are around 7500 tomato varieties grown for various purposes. [[Heirloom tomato]]es are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among home gardeners and organic producers, since they tend to produce more interesting and flavorful crops at the cost of disease resistance and productivity.<ref name="smithsonian-passion"/> In 1973, [[Israelis|Israeli]] scientists developed the world's first long shelf-life commercial tomato varieties.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:X4wxK2DoiykJ:www.yissum.co.il/sites/default/files/yissum_morflora_eng_v9.pdf+rabinowitch+tomato+varieties&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgAO9oOXqlL0a6_Uka5drtfOXBvAb4lSTCAzwNjh70VHvsAqIjP_dx3e6J1su7BvwMbp8y6fFJcXuK-bP3Zx6fHeIzm2U3D8MBIAozcrUyHIjqZmUmUnaU0BKYz7iIiDvx1HYpq&sig=AHIEtbQfnoUB8AYTyCj7gb4BTH4rsplc3Q Yissum: Seed improvement technology]</ref> [[File:Roma or Bangalore Tomatoes (Indian hybrid).jpg|thumb|right|Roma or Bangalore Tomatoes (Indian hybrid)]] Hybrid plants remain common, since they tend to be heavier producers, and sometimes combine unusual characteristics of heirloom tomatoes with the ruggedness of conventional commercial tomatoes. [[File:Heirloom tomatoes.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Various [[heirloom tomato]] cultivars]] Tomato varieties are roughly divided into several categories, based mostly on shape and size. * "Slicing" or "globe" tomatoes are the usual tomatoes of commerce, used for a wide variety of processing and fresh eating. * [[beefsteak (tomato)|Beefsteak]] tomatoes are large tomatoes often used for sandwiches and similar applications. Their kidney-bean shape, thinner skin, and shorter shelf life makes commercial use impractical. * Oxheart tomatoes can range in size up to beefsteaks, and are shaped like large strawberries. * [[Plum tomato]]es, or paste tomatoes (including pear tomatoes), are bred with a higher solids content for use in [[tomato sauce]] and [[tomato paste|paste]], and are usually oblong. * Pear tomatoes are obviously pear-shaped, and are based upon the [[San Marzano tomato|San Marzano]] types for a richer gourmet paste. * [[Cherry tomato]]es are small and round, often sweet tomatoes generally eaten whole in salads. * [[Grape tomato]]es, a more recent introduction, are smaller and oblong, a variation on plum tomatoes, and used in salads. * [[Campari tomato]]es are also sweet and noted for their juiciness, low acidity, and lack of mealiness. They are bigger than cherry tomatoes, but are smaller than plum tomatoes. Early tomatoes and cool-summer tomatoes bear fruit even where nights are cool, which usually discourages fruit set. There are also varieties high in beta carotenes and vitamin A, hollow tomatoes and tomatoes that keep for months in storage. Tomatoes are also commonly classified as [[determinate cultivar|determinate]] or [[Indeterminate growth|indeterminate]]. Determinate, or bush, types bear a full crop all at once and top off at a specific height; they are often good choices for container growing. Determinate types are preferred by commercial growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time, or home growers interested in canning. Indeterminate varieties develop into vines that never top off and continue producing until killed by frost. They are preferred by home growers and local-market farmers who want ripe fruit throughout the season. As an intermediate form, there are plants sometimes known as vigorous determinate or semideterminate; these top off like determinates, but produce a second crop after the initial crop. The majority of heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate, although some determinate heirlooms exist. [[File:Heirlooms.jpg|thumb|upright|A variety of specific cultivars, including [[Brandywine (tomato)|Brandywine]] (biggest red), [[Black Krim (tomato)|Black Krim]] (lower left) and [[Green Zebra]] (top left)]] Most modern tomato cultivars are smooth surfaced, but some older tomato cultivars and most modern beefsteaks often show pronounced ribbing, a feature that may have been common to virtually all [[pre-Columbian]] cultivars. While virtually all commercial tomato varieties are red, some cultivars – especially heirlooms – produce fruit in other colors, including green, yellow, orange, pink, black, brown, ivory, white, and purple. Such fruits are not widely available in grocery stores, nor are their seedlings available in typical nurseries, but they can be bought as seed. Less common variations include fruit with stripes (Green Zebra), fuzzy skin on the fruit (Fuzzy Peach, Red Boar), multiple colors ([[Hillbilly (tomato)|Hillbilly]], Burracker's Favorite, Lucky Cross), etc. There is also a considerable gap between commercial and home-gardener cultivars; home cultivars are often bred for flavor to the exclusion of all other qualities, while commercial cultivars are bred for such factors as consistent size and shape, disease and pest resistance, suitability for mechanized picking and shipping, and ability to be picked before fully ripening.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} Tomatoes grow well with seven hours of sunlight a day. A fertilizer with an [[NPK rating|NPK ratio]] of 5-10-10 is often sold as tomato fertilizer or vegetable fertilizer, although manure and compost are also used. ===Diseases and pests=== {{Mainlist|List of tomato diseases}} Tomato cultivars vary widely in their resistance to disease. Modern [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrids]] focus on improving disease resistance over the [[heirloom plant]]s. One common tomato disease is [[tobacco mosaic virus]], so smoking or use of [[tobacco]] products are discouraged around tomatoes, although there is some scientific debate{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} over whether the virus could possibly survive being burned and converted into smoke.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1168.html | author = Pfleger, F. L.; Zeyen, R. J. | title = Tomato-Tobacco Mosaic Virus Disease | year = 2008 | publisher = University of Minnesota Extension | accessdate = 2012-06-23 }}</ref> Various forms of [[mildew]] and [[blight]] are also common tomato afflictions, which is why tomato cultivars are often marked with a combination of letters that refer to specific disease resistance. The most common letters are: '''V''' – ''[[verticillium]]'' [[Wilting|wilt]], '''F''' – ''[[fusarium]]'' [[fungus|wilt]] strain I, '''FF''' – ''fusarium'' wilt strain I and II, '''N''' – ''[[nematode]]s'', '''T''' – ''[[tobacco mosaic virus]]'', and '''A''' – ''[[alternaria]]''. [[File:Tomato fruitworm.jpg|thumb|right|Tomato fruitworm eating unripe tomato]] Another particularly dreaded disease is [[curly top]], carried by the [[beet leafhopper]], which interrupts the lifecycle, ruining a nightshade plant as a crop. As the name implies, it has the symptom of making the top leaves of the plant wrinkle up and grow abnormally. Some common tomato pests are [[stink bug]]s, [[cutworm]]s, [[tomato hornworm]]s and [[tobacco hornworm]]s, [[aphid]]s, [[cabbage looper]]s, [[whitefly|whiteflies]], [[tomato fruitworm]]s, [[flea beetle]]s, [[red spider mite]], [[slug]]s,<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG7561.html | author = Hahn, J.; Fetzer, J. | title = Slugs in Home Gardens | publisher = University of Minnesota Extension | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2012-06-23 }}</ref> and [[Colorado potato beetle]]s. Tomato plants produce the [[plant peptide hormone]] [[systemin]] after an insect attack. Systemin activates defensive mechanisms, such as the production of [[protease inhibitor (biology)|protease inhibitors]] to slow the growth of insects. The hormone was first identified in tomatoes, but similar proteins have been identified in other species since.<ref name=three>{{ cite book | author = Narvaez-Vasquez, J.; Orozco-Cardenas, M. L. | editor = Schaller, A. | chapter = 15 Systemins and AtPeps: Defense-related Peptide Signals | year = 2008 | title = Induced Plant Resistance to Herbivory | isbn = 978-1-4020-8181-1 }}</ref> ===Companion plants=== {{see also|List of companion plants|List of beneficial weeds}} Tomatoes serve, or are served by, a large variety of [[companion plant]]s. In fact, one of the most famous pairings is the tomato plant and carrots; studies supporting this relationship having produced a popular book about [[companion planting]], ''Carrots Love Tomatoes''.<ref>{{ cite book | url = http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/carrots-love-tomatoes-companion-planting-for-a-healthy-garden-zb0z11zbug.aspx | title = Carrots Love Tomatoes }}</ref> Additionally, the devastating tomato hornworm has a major predator in various [[parasitic wasp]]s, whose larvae devour the hornworm, but whose adult form drinks nectar from tiny-flowered plants like [[umbellifer]]s. Several species of umbellifer are therefore often grown with tomato plants, including [[parsley]], [[Anthriscus sylvestris|queen anne's lace]], and occasionally [[dill]]. These also attract [[hover fly|predatory flies]] that attack various tomato pests [http://www.tomatocasual.com/2008/05/06/boost-your-tomatoes-with-companion-planting-part-1/]. On the other hand, [[borage]] is thought to actually repel the [[tomato hornworm]] moth [http://organicgardening.about.com/od/vegetablesherbs/qt/Companion-Planting-Idea-Plant-Tomatoes-Borage-And-Squash-Together.htm]. Other plants with strong scents, like [[alliums]] ([[onions]], [[chives]], [[garlic]]) and [[mints]] ([[basil]], [[oregano]], [[spearmint]]) are simply thought to mask the scent of the tomato plant, making it harder for pests to locate it, or to provide an alternative landing point, reducing the odds of the pests from attacking the correct plant [http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html]. These plants may also subtly impact the flavor of tomato fruit [http://www.homeandgardensite.com/companion_planting.htm]. Ground cover plants, including mints, also stabilize moisture loss around tomato plants and other [[solaneae]], which come from very humid climates, and therefore may prevent moisture-related problems like blossom end rot. Finally, tap-root plants like [[dandelion]]s break up dense soil and bring nutrients from down below a tomato plant's reach, possibly benefiting their companion. Tomato plants, on the other hand, protect [[asparagus]] from [[asparagus beetle]]s, because they contain solanum that kills this pest, while asparagus plants (as well as [[Tagetes|marigold]]s [http://www.homeandgardensite.com/companion_planting.htm]) contain a chemical that repels root nematodes known to attack tomato plants. ===Pollination=== [[File:Tomato scanned.jpg|thumb|right|The flower and leaves are visible in this photo of a tomato plant.]] In the wild, original state, tomatoes required cross-[[pollination]]; they were much more [[Self-incompatibility in plants|self-incompatible]] than domestic cultivars. As a floral device to reduce selfing, the [[pistil]] of wild tomatoes extends farther out of the flower than today's cultivars. The [[stamen]]s were, and remain, entirely within the closed [[Petal|corolla]]. As tomatoes were moved from their native areas, their traditional [[pollinator]]s, (probably a species of [[halictidae|halictid bee]]) did not move with them.<ref name="Sharma2012">{{cite book|author=V. P. Sharma|title=Nature at Work - the Ongoing Saga of Evolution|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=o4qwjov434kC&pg=PA41|date=16 January 2012|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-81-8489-991-7|page=41}}</ref> The trait of self-fertility became an advantage, and domestic [[cultivar]]s of tomato have been selected to maximize this trait.<ref name="Sharma2012"/> This is not the same as [[self-pollination]], despite the common claim that tomatoes do so. That tomatoes pollinate themselves poorly without outside aid is clearly shown in [[greenhouse]] situations, where pollination must be aided by artificial wind, vibration of the plants (one brand of vibrator is a wand called an "electric bee" that is used manually), or more often today, by cultured [[bumblebee]]s.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} The [[anther]] of a tomato flower is shaped like a hollow tube, with the [[pollen]] produced within the structure, rather than on the surface, as in most species. The pollen moves through pores in the anther, but very little pollen is shed without some kind of outside motion. The best source of outside motion is a [[buzz pollination|sonicating]] bee, such as a bumblebee, or the original wild halictid pollinator. In an outside setting, wind or animals provide sufficient motion to produce commercially viable crops. ===Hydroponic and greenhouse cultivation=== Tomatoes are often grown in [[greenhouse]]s in cooler climates, and there are cultivars such as the British 'Moneymaker' and a number of cultivars grown in [[Siberia]] that are specifically bred for indoor growing. In more [[Temperateness|temperate climates]], it is not uncommon to start seeds in greenhouses during the late winter for future transplant. Greenhouse tomato production in large-acreage commercial greenhouses and owner-operator stand-alone or multiple-bay greenhouses is on the increase, providing fruit during those times of the year when field-grown fruit is not readily available. Smaller sized fruit (cherry and grape), or cluster tomatoes (fruit-on-the-vine) are the fruit of choice for the large commercial greenhouse operators while the beefsteak varieties are the choice of owner-operator growers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=J. Benton|title=Growing in the Greenhouse|url=http://www.growtomatoes.com/growing-in-the-greenhouse/|work=growtomatoes.com|accessdate=14 August 2012}}</ref> [[Hydroponic]] tomatoes are also available, and the technique is often used in hostile growing environments, as well as high-density plantings. ===Picking and ripening=== Tomatoes are often picked unripe (and thus colored green) and ripened in storage with [[ethylene]]. Unripe tomatoes are firm. As they ripen they soften until reaching the ripe state where they are red or orange in color and slightly soft to the touch.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} Ethylene is a hydrocarbon gas produced by many fruits that acts as the molecular cue to begin the ripening process. Tomatoes ripened in this way tend to keep longer, but have poorer flavor and a mealier, starchier texture than tomatoes ripened on the plant. {{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} They may be recognized by their color, which is more pink or orange than the other ripe tomatoes' deep red, depending on variety.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} A machine-harvestable variety of tomato (the "square tomato") was developed in the 1950s by [[University of California, Davis]]'s [[Gordie C. Hanna]], which, in combination with the development of a suitable harvester, revolutionized the tomato-growing industry. {{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} In 1994, [[Calgene]] introduced a [[Transgenic plants|genetically modified]] tomato called the '[[FlavrSavr]]', which could be vine ripened without compromising [[shelf life]]. However, the product was not commercially successful, and was sold only until 1997. {{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} Recently, stores have begun selling "tomatoes on the vine", which are determinate varieties that are ripened or harvested with the fruits still connected to a piece of vine. These tend to have more flavor than artificially ripened tomatoes{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} (at a price premium). Slow-ripening cultivars of tomato have been developed by crossing a nonripening cultivar with ordinary cultivars. Cultivars were selected whose fruits have a long shelf life and at least reasonable flavor. At home, fully ripe tomatoes can be stored in the [[refrigerator]], but are best kept at [[room temperature]]. Tomatoes stored cold will still be edible, but tend to lose flavor;<ref>{{cite web | url = http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5532.pdf | title = Selecting, Storing and Serving Ohio Tomatoes, HYG-5532-93 | publisher = Ohio State University | date = | accessdate = 2008-10-27 }}</ref> thus, "Never Refrigerate" stickers are sometimes placed on tomatoes in supermarkets. {{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} ===Genetic modification=== {{main|Genetically modified tomato}} Tomatoes that have been modified using [[genetic engineering]] have been developed, and although none are [[Commerce|commercially]] available now, they have been in the past. The first commercially available [[genetically modified food]] was a variety of tomato named (the [[Flavr Savr]]), which was engineered to have a longer shelf life.<ref>{{ Cite book | author = Redenbaugh, K.; Hiatt, B.; Martineau, B.; Kramer, M.; Sheehy, R.; Sanders, R.; Houck, C.; Emlay, D. | year = 1992 | title = Safety Assessment of Genetically Engineered Fruits and Vegetables: A Case Study of the Flavr Savr Tomato | publisher = CRC Press | page = 288 }}</ref> Scientists are continuing to develop tomatoes with new traits not found in natural crops, such as increased resistance to pests or environmental stresses. Other projects aim to enrich tomatoes with substances that may offer health benefits or provide better nutrition. ==Consumption== The tomato is now grown and eaten around the world. It is used in diverse ways, including raw in [[salad]]s, and processed into [[ketchup]] or [[tomato soup]]. Unripe green tomatoes can also be [[Fried green tomatoes (food)|breaded and fried]], used to make [[salsa (sauce)|salsa]], or pickled. [[Tomato juice]] is sold as a [[drink]], and is used in cocktails such as the [[Bloody Mary (cocktail)|Bloody Mary]]. Tomatoes are [[acid]]ic, making them especially easy to preserve in home [[canning]] whole, in pieces, as [[tomato sauce]] or [[tomato paste|paste]]. The fruit is also preserved by drying, often in the sun, and sold either in bags or in jars with oil. Tomatoes are used extensively in Mediterranean cuisine. They are a key ingredient in [[pizza]], and are commonly used in [[pasta]] sauces. They are also used in [[gazpacho]] ([[Spanish cuisine]]) and ''[[pa amb tomàquet]]'' ([[Catalan cuisine]]). Though it is botanically a [[berry]], a subset of [[fruit]], the tomato is a [[vegetable]] for culinary purposes, because of its savory flavor (see [[#Fruit or vegetable?|below]]). {{nutritionalvalue | name=Red tomatoes, raw | water=94.5 g | kJ=74 | protein=0.9 g | fat=0.2 g | carbs=3.9 g | fiber=1.2 g | sugars=2.6 g | potassium_mg=237 | vitA_ug=42 | vitC_mg=14 | vitE_mg=0.54 | lutein_ug=123 | source_usda=1 | right=1}} ===Nutrition=== Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed{{who|date=August 2012}} to benefit the heart, among other organs. They contain the carotene [[lycopene]], one of the most powerful natural [[antioxidant]]s. In some studies, lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to help prevent [[prostate cancer]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44 | title = Health benefits of tomatoes | accessdate = 2007-05-24 }}</ref> but other research contradicts this claim.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/aafc-nmt051607.php | title = No magic tomato? Study breaks link between lycopene and prostate cancer prevention | accessdate = 2007-05-24 }}</ref> Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays.<ref>{{Cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7370759.stm | title = Tomato dishes 'may protect skin' | date = 2008-04-28 | accessdate = 2010-01-06 | work = BBC News }}</ref> A study done by researchers at Manchester and Newcastle universities revealed that tomato can protect against sunburn and help keeping the skin looking youthful.<ref>{{cite web | last = Maccrae | first = F. | title = The secret of eternal youth? Try a tomato | url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-562668/The-secret-eternal-youth-Try-tomato.html | accessdate = 2008-04-28 }}</ref> Natural genetic variation in tomatoes and their wild relatives has given a genetic plethora of genes that produce lycopene, carotene, anthocyanin, and other antioxidants. Tomato varieties are available with double the normal [[vitamin C]] (Doublerich), 40 times normal [[vitamin A]] (97L97), high levels of [[anthocyanin]] (resulting in [[blue tomatoes]]), and two to four times the normal amount of lycopene (numerous available cultivars with the high crimson gene). ==={{anchor|Medicinal properies}}Medicinal properties=== [[Lycopene]] has also been shown to protect against oxidative damage in many epidemiological and experimental studies. In addition to its antioxidant activity, other metabolic effects of lycopene have also been demonstrated. The richest source of lycopene in the diet is tomato and tomato derived products.<ref>{{ cite journal | author = Mourvaki, E.; Gizzi, S.; Rossi, R.; Rufini, S. | title = Passionflower Fruit — A "New" Source of Lycopene? | journal = Journal of Medicinal Food | year = 2005 | volume = 8 | issue = 1 | pages = 104–106 | pmid = 15857218 }}</ref> Tomato consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer,<ref>{{ cite journal | author = Zhang, C. X.; Ho, S. C.; Chen, Y. M.; Fu, J. H.; Cheng, S. Z.; Lin, F. Y. | title = Greater vegetable and fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer among Chinese women | journal = International Journal of Cancer | year = 2009 | volume = 125 | issue = 1 | pages = 181–188 | pmid = 19358284 | doi = 10.1002/ijc.24358 }}</ref> head and neck cancers<ref>{{ cite journal | author1 = Freedman, N. D. | author2 = Park, Y. | author3 = Subar, A. F. | author4 = Hollenbeck, A. R. | author5 = Leitzmann, M. F. | author6 = Schatzkin, A. | author7 = Abnet, C. C. | title = Fruit and vegetable intake and head and neck cancer risk in a large United States prospective cohort study | journal = International Journal of Cancer | year = 2008 | volume = 122 | issue = 10 | pages = 2330–2336 | pmid = 18092323 | doi = 10.1002/ijc.23319 }}</ref> and might be strongly protective against neurodegenerative diseases.<ref>{{ cite journal | author = Rao, A. V.; Balachandran, B. | title = Role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in neurodegenerative diseases | journal = Nutritional Neuroscience | year = 2002 | volume = 5 | issue = 5 | pages = 291–309 | pmid = 12385592 | doi = 10.1080/1028415021000033767 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite journal | author = Fall, P. A.; Fredrikson, M.; Axelson, O.; Granérus, A. K. | title = Nutritional and occupational factors influencing the risk of Parkinson's disease: A case-control study in southeastern Sweden | journal = Movement Disorders | year = 1999 | volume = 14 | issue = 1 | pages = 28–37 | pmid = 9918341 | doi = 10.1002/1531-8257(199901)14:1<28::AID-MDS1007>3.0.CO;2-O }}</ref><ref>{{ cite journal | author = Suganuma, H.; Hirano, T.; Arimoto, Y.; Inakuma, T. | title = Effect of tomato intake on striatal monoamine level in a mouse model of experimental Parkinson's disease | journal = Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology | year = 2002 | volume = 48 | issue = 3 | pages = 251–254 | pmid = 12350086 | doi = 10.3177/jnsv.48.251 }}</ref> Tomatoes, tomato sauces and puree are said to help [[lower urinary tract symptoms]] ([[Benign prostatic hyperplasia|BPH]]) and may have anticancer properties.<ref>{{ cite journal | author = Polívková, Z.; Šmerák, P.; Demová, H.; Houška, M. | title = Antimutagenic Effects of Lycopene and Tomato Purée | journal = Journal of Medicinal Food | year = 2010 | volume = 13 | issue = 6 | pages = 1443–1450 | pmid = 20874227 }}</ref> Tomato consumption might be beneficial for reducing cardiovascular risk associated with type 2 diabetes.<ref>{{ cite journal | author = Shidfar, F.; Froghifar, N.; Vafa, M.; Rajab, A.; Hosseini, S.; Shidfar, S.; Gohari, M. | title = The Effects of Tomato Consumption on Serum Glucose, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A-I, Homocysteine and Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetic Patients | journal = International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition | year = 2011 | volume = 62 | issue = 3 | pages = 289–294 | pmid = 21138408 }}</ref> ===Storage=== Tomatoes that are not yet ripe are optimally stored at room temperature uncovered, out of direct sunlight, until ripe.<ref name=cpma>{{ cite web | url = http://www.cpma.ca/en_hea_storage.asp | publisher = Canadian Produce Marketing Association | title = Home Storage Guide for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables }}</ref> In this environment, they have a shelf life of three to four days.<ref name=cpma/> When ripe, they should be used in one to two days.<ref name=cpma/> Tomatoes should only be refrigerated when well ripened, but this will affect flavor.<ref name=cpma/> ===Safety=== ====Plant toxicity==== Leaves, stems, and green unripe fruit of the tomato plant contain small amounts of the toxic alkaloid [[tomatine]].<ref name="Mcgee-NYT" /> They also contain [[solanine]], a toxic alkaloid found in potato leaves and other plants in the nightshade family.<ref name="Barceloux">{{Cite journal | last = Barceloux | first = D. G. | title = Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Solanine Toxicity (''Solanum tuberosum'' L., ''Solanum lycopersicum'' L.) | journal = Disease-a-Month | year = 2009 | volume = 55 | issue = 6 | pages = 391–402 | pmid = 19446683 | doi = 10.1016/j.disamonth.2009.03.009 | url = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B75BF-4W92RY0-F&_user=128590&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000010619&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=128590&md5=915d12d736cf571ed7793e94eec98a4d }}</ref><ref name = NIH >{{cite web|title=Executive Summary Chaconine and Solanine: 6.0 through 8.0 |url=http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=6F5F05D9-F1F6-975E-74330A88C0B9A49A|publisher=NIH}}</ref> Use of tomato leaves in tea ([[tisane]]) has been responsible for at least one death.<ref name="Mcgee-NYT" /><ref name="Barceloux"/>{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}} However, levels of tomatine in foliage and green fruit are generally too small to be dangerous unless large amounts are consumed, for example, as greens. Small amounts of tomato foliage are sometimes used for flavoring without ill effect, and the green fruit is sometimes used for cooking, particularly as [[fried green tomatoes]].<ref name="Mcgee-NYT" >{{Cite news | last = Mcgee | first = H. | title = Accused, Yes, but Probably Not a Killer | newspaper = The New York Times | accessdate = 2010-03-26 | date = 2009-07-29 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/dining/29curi.html }}</ref> Compared to potatoes the amount of solanine in green or ripe tomatoes is low; however, even in the case of potatoes while solanine poisoning resulting from dosages several times normal human consumption has been demonstrated, actual cases of poisoning resulting from excessive consumption of potatoes that have high concentration of solanine are rare.<ref name = NIH /> Tomato plants can be toxic to dogs if they eat large amounts of the fruit, or chew plant material.<ref>{{ cite book | title = Hound Health Handbook: The Definitive Guide to Keeping your Dog Happy | author = Brevitz, B. | page = 404 }}</ref> ====''Salmonella''==== [[File:No Tomatoes.jpg|thumb|A sign posted at a Havelock, North Carolina Burger King tells customers that no tomatoes are available due to the [[2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak|salmonellosis outbreak]].]] On October 30, 2006, the U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC) announced tomatoes might have been the source of a [[salmonellosis]] outbreak causing 172 illnesses in 18 states.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/30/national/main2138331.shtml | title = CDC Probes Salmonella Outbreak, Health Officials Say Bacteria May Have Spread Through Some Form Of Produce | publisher = CBS News | date = 2006-10-30 | accessdate = 2008-10-27 }}</ref> Tomatoes have been linked to seven salmonella outbreaks since 1990.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/article-details.php?a=3&c=32&sc=419&id=953 | title = A selection of North American tomato related outbreaks from 1990–2005 | publisher = Food Safety Network | date = 2006-10-30 | accessdate = 2010-07-20 }}</ref> The [[2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak]] caused the removal of tomatoes from stores and restaurants across the United States and parts of Canada,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=0c30bbc6-5fa0-41c2-9148-f57e622c0cdd | title = Tomatoes taken off menus | publisher = Calgary Herald | date = 2008-06-11 | accessdate = 2010-07-20 }}</ref> although other foods, including [[jalapeño]] and [[serrano pepper|serrano]] peppers, may have been involved. ==Botanical description== [[File:Flor tomaca 057.jpg|thumb|left|Tomato flower]] Tomato plants are vines, initially [[wikt:decumbent|decumbent]], typically growing six feet or more above the ground if supported, although erect bush varieties have been bred, generally three feet tall or shorter. Indeterminate types are "tender" perennials, dying annually in temperate climates (they are originally native to tropical highlands), although they can live up to three years in a greenhouse in some cases. Determinate types are annual in all climates. Tomato plants are [[dicot]]s, and grow as a series of branching stems, with a terminal bud at the tip that does the actual growing. When that tip eventually stops growing, whether because of pruning or flowering, lateral buds take over and grow into other, fully functional, vines.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ncsu.edu/sustainable/profiles/bot_tom.html | title = Crop Profiles – Tomato | date = | accessdate = 2008-10-27 | first = M. | last = Peet }}{{Self-published inline|date=February 2010}}</ref> Tomato vines are typically pubescent, meaning covered with fine short hairs. These hairs facilitate the vining process, turning into roots wherever the plant is in contact with the ground and moisture, especially if the vine's connection to its original root has been damaged or severed. Most tomato plants have [[compound leaves]], and are called regular leaf (RL) plants, but some cultivars have simple leaves known as [[potato leaf]] (PL) style because of their resemblance to that close cousin. Of RL plants, there are variations, such as rugose leaves, which are deeply grooved, and [[variegated]], angora leaves, which have additional colors where a genetic mutation causes [[chlorophyll]] to be excluded from some portions of the leaves.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/tomato/2004111539004321.html | title = Are there different types of tomato leaves? | author = paul2101 | publisher = [[IVillage]] | date = | accessdate = 2008-10-27 }}{{Verify credibility|date=February 2010}}</ref> The [[leaf|leaves]] are {{convert|10|-|25|cm|in|0}} long, odd pinnate, with five to 9 leaflets on petioles,<ref>{{ cite book | author = Acquaah, G. | year = 2002 | title = Horticulture: Principles and Practices | location = New Jersey | publisher = Prentice Hall }}</ref> each leaflet up to {{convert|8|cm|in|0}} long, with a serrated margin; both the stem and leaves are densely glandular-hairy. Their [[flower]]s, appearing on the apical [[meristem]], have the anthers fused along the edges, forming a column surrounding the [[pistil]]'s style. Flowers in domestic cultivars tend to be self-fertilizing. The flowers are {{convert|1|-|2|cm|in|1}} across, yellow, with five pointed lobes on the [[Catacorolla|corolla]]; they are borne in a [[Cyme (botany)|cyme]] of three to 12 together. Tomato fruit is classified as a [[berry]]. As a true fruit, it develops from the ovary of the plant after fertilization, its flesh comprising the pericarp walls. The fruit contains hollow spaces full of seeds and moisture, called locular cavities. These vary, among cultivated species, according to type. Some smaller varieties have two cavities, globe-shaped varieties typically have three to five, beefsteak tomatoes have a great number of smaller cavities, while paste tomatoes have very few, very small cavities. For propagation, the seeds need to come from a mature fruit, and be dried or fermented before germination. ==Botanical classification== In 1753, [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] placed the tomato in the [[genus]] ''[[Solanum]]'' (alongside the [[potato]]) as ''Solanum lycopersicum''. In 1768, [[Philip Miller]] moved it to its own genus, naming it ''Lycopersicon esculentum''.<ref>[http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=146898-2 Lycopersicon esculentum], International Plant Name Index</ref> This name came into wide use, but was in breach of the [[International Code of Botanical Nomenclature|plant naming rules]]. Technically, the combination ''Lycopersicon lycopersicum'' (L.) [[Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten|H.Karst.]] would be more correct, but this name (published in 1881) has hardly ever been used (except in seed catalogs, which frequently used it and still do{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}). [[genetics|Genetic]] evidence has now shown that Linnaeus was correct to put the tomato in the genus ''Solanum'', making ''Solanum lycopersicum'' the correct name.<ref name=NHM/><ref name="Peralta & Spooner">{{Cite journal | first1 = I. E. | last1 = Peralta | first2 = D. M. | last2 = Spooner | title = Granule-bound starch synthase (GBSSI) gene phylogeny of wild tomatoes (''Solanum'' L. section ''Lycopersicon'' (Mill.) Wettst. subsection ''Lycopersicon'') | journal = American Journal of Botany | year = 2001 | volume = 88 | issue = 10 | pages = 1888–1902 | jstor = 3558365 | pmid = 21669622 | doi = 10.2307/3558365 | url = http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/10/1888 }}</ref> Both names, however, will probably be found in the literature for some time. Two of the major reasons some still consider the genera separate are the leaf structure (tomato leaves are markedly different from any other ''Solanum''), and the biochemistry (many of the alkaloids common to other ''Solanum'' species are conspicuously absent in the tomato). Hybrids of tomato and diploid [[potato]] can be created in the lab by [[somatic fusion]], and are partially fertile,<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Jacobsen, E.; Daniel, M. K.; Bergervoet-van Deelen, J. E. M.; Huigen, D. J.; Ramanna, M. S. | title = The first and second backcross progeny of the intergeneric fusion hybrids of potato and tomato after crossing with potato | journal = TAG Theoretical and Applied Genetics | year = 1994 | volume = 88 | issue = 2 | pages = 181–186 | doi = 10.1007/BF00225895 }}</ref> providing evidence of the close relationship between these species. ==Genome sequencing== An international consortium of researchers from 10 countries, among them researchers from the [[Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research]], began sequencing the tomato [[genome]] in 2004, and is creating a database of genomic sequences and information on the tomato and related plants.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://solgenomics.net/about/tomato_project_overview.pl | title = International Tomato Genome Sequencing Project | publisher = Sol Genomics Network | first = L. | last = Mueller | accessdate = 2009-10-21 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url = http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Jan07/SolanacaeNSF.kr.html | title = Tomato genome project gets $1.8M | publisher = News.cornell.edu | author = Ramanujan, K. | date = 2007-01-30 | accessdate = 2008-10-27 }}</ref> A prerelease version of the genome was made available in December, 2009.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://solgenomics.net/tomato/ | title = Tomato Genome Shotgun Sequence Prerelease }}</ref> The genomes of its [[mitochondria]] and [[chloroplast]]s are also being sequenced as part of the project. The complete genome for the cultivar Heinz 1706 was published on May 31, 2012 in ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]''.<ref>{{Cite doi|10.1038/nature11119}}</ref> Since many other fruits, like [[strawberries]], [[apple]]s, [[melon]]s, and [[banana]]s share the same characteristics and genes, researchers stated the published genome could help to improve food quality, food security and reduce costs of all of these fruits.<ref>[http://www.rdmag.com/News/Feeds/2012/06/general-sciences-tomato-genome-is-sequenced-for-the-first-time/ Tomato genome is sequenced for the first time] ''http://www.rdmag.com''. Retrieved June 2, 2012.</ref> ==Breeding== Active breeding programs are ongoing by individuals, universities, corporations, and organizations. The Tomato Genetic Resource Center, [[Germplasm Resources Information Network]], [[World Vegetable Center|AVRDC]], and numerous [[Seedbank|seed banks]] around the world store seed representing genetic variations of value to modern agriculture. These seed stocks are available for legitimate breeding and research efforts. While individual breeding efforts can produce useful results, the bulk of tomato breeding work is at universities and major agriculture-related corporations. These efforts have resulted in significant regionally adapted breeding lines and hybrids, such as the Mountain series from North Carolina. Corporations including [[H. J. Heinz Company|Heinz]], [[Monsanto]], BHNSeed, Bejoseed, etc., have breeding programs that attempt to improve production, size, shape, color, flavor, disease tolerance, pest tolerance, nutritional value, and numerous other traits. ==Fruit or vegetable?== [[Fruit#Botanic_fruit_and_culinary_fruit|Botanically]], a tomato is a [[fruit]]: the [[ovary (plants)|ovary]], together with its seeds, of a [[flowering plant]]. However, the tomato has a much lower sugar content than other edible fruits, and is therefore not as sweet. Typically served as part of a salad or [[main course]] of a meal, rather than at [[dessert]], it is considered a [[Vegetable#Terminology|vegetable]] for most culinary uses. One exception is that tomatoes are treated as a fruit in home canning practices: they are acidic enough to be processed in a water bath rather than a pressure cooker as vegetables would require. Tomatoes are not the only food source with this ambiguity: [[green bean]]s, [[eggplant]]s, [[cucumber]]s, and [[squash (fruit)|squashes]] of all kinds (such as [[zucchini]] and [[pumpkin]]s) are all botanically fruits, yet cooked as vegetables. This dispute has led to legal speculation in the United States. In 1887, U.S. [[tariff]] laws that imposed a [[Duty (economics)|duty]] on vegetables, but not on fruits, caused the tomato's status to become a matter of legal importance. The [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] settled this controversy on May 10, 1893, by declaring that the tomato is a vegetable, based on the popular definition that classifies vegetables by use, that they are generally served with dinner and not dessert (''[[Nix v. Hedden]]'' (149 U.S. 304)).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch8.html |title=Vegetarians in Paradise/Tomato History, Tomato Nutrition, Tomato Recipe |publisher=Vegparadise.com |date= |accessdate=2009-04-02}}</ref><!-- The Smithsonian reference does not mention the name of this case, but it does verify the story, so it was not a detailed citation for this specific fact. --> The holding of this case applies only to the interpretation of the [[Tariff of 1883|Tariff Act of March 3, 1883]], and the court did not purport to reclassify the tomato for botanical or other purposes. Tomatoes have been designated the state vegetable of [[New Jersey]]. [[Arkansas]] took both sides by declaring the "South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato" to be both the state fruit and the state vegetable in the same law, citing both its culinary and botanical classifications. In 2009, the state of [[Ohio]] passed a law making the tomato the state's official fruit. Tomato juice has been the official beverage of Ohio since 1965. [[A.W. Livingston]], of [[Reynoldsburg, Ohio]], played a large part in popularizing the tomato in the late 19th century; his efforts are commemorated in Reynoldsburg with an annual Tomato Festival. ==Names== The scientific [[Scientific_name#Codes|species epithet]] ''lycopersicum'' means "wolf peach", and comes from German [[werewolf]] myths. These said that [[Atropa belladonna|deadly nightshade]] was used to summon werewolves, so the tomato's similar, but much larger, fruit was called the "wolf peach" when it arrived in Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Hammerschmidt, D.; Franklin, M. | title = About the cover illustration | journal = Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine | year = 2005 | volume = 146 | issue = 4 | pages = 251–252 | doi = 10.1016/j.lab.2005.08.010 | pmid = 16194687 | url = http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymlc/article/PIIS0022214305002982/fulltext }}</ref> The [[Aztecs]] called the fruit ''xitomatl'' ({{IPA-nah|ʃiːˈtomatɬ|pron}}), meaning plump thing with a navel. Other Mesoamerican peoples, including the [[Nahua peoples|Nahuas]], took the name as ''tomatl'', from which some European languages derived the name "tomato". ===Pronunciation=== The pronunciation of tomato [[American and British English pronunciation differences|differs]] in different [[List of countries where English is an official language|English-speaking countries]]; the two most common variants are {{IPA-en|təˈmɑːtoʊ|}} ({{respell|tə|MAH|toh}}) and {{IPA-en|təˈmeɪtoʊ|}} ({{respell|tə|MAY|toh}}).<!--inappropriate to transcribe a specific dialect. these are both generic pronunciations--> Speakers from the British Isles and most of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] typically say {{IPA|/təˈmɑːtoʊ/}}, while most [[North American English|North American]] speakers usually say {{IPA|/təˈmeɪtoʊ/}}. The word's [[Free variation|dual pronunciations]] were immortalized in [[Ira Gershwin|Ira]] and [[George Gershwin]]'s 1937 song ''[[Let's Call the Whole Thing Off]]'' ("You like {{IPA|/pəˈteɪtoʊ/}} and I like {{IPA|/pəˈtɑːtoʊ/}} / You like {{IPA|/təˈmeɪtoʊ/}} and I like {{IPA|/təˈmɑːtoʊ/}}")<!-- often misquoted as you say... --> and have become a symbol for [[nitpicking (sport)|nitpicking]] pronunciation disputes. In this capacity, it has even become an American and British slang term: saying {{IPA|/təˈmeɪtoʊ, təˈmɑːtoʊ/}} when presented with two choices can mean "What's the difference?" or "It's all the same to me." ==Tomato records== [[File:Tomatotree.JPG|thumb|The "tomato tree" as seen by guests on the [[Living with the Land]] boat ride at [[Epcot]], [[Lake Buena Vista, Florida]]]] The heaviest tomato ever, weighing 3.51&nbsp;kg (7&nbsp;lb 12&nbsp;oz), was of the cultivar 'Delicious', grown by Gordon Graham of [[Edmond, Oklahoma]] in 1986.<ref name="chesterprogressive">{{ cite news | url = http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ej0-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=cvgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1822,16289918&dq=heaviest+tomato+ever&hl=en | title = Curiosities of I-5, facts about King and the benefits of volunteers | newspaper = Chester Progressive | date = 2008-01-16 }}</ref>{{Verify credibility|date=April 2010}}<!--Small town newspaper, I suspect content was sourced from Wikipedia.--> The largest tomato plant grown was of the cultivar 'Sungold' and reached 19.8&nbsp;m (65&nbsp;ft) in length, grown by Nutriculture Ltd (UK) of Mawdesley, Lancashire, UK, in 2000.<ref>[http://www.nutriculture.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=56&page=view&catid=3&PageNo=2&key=3&hit=1 A World Record Breaker] Nutriculture.com. Retrieved 2010-07-27.</ref> The massive "tomato tree" growing inside the [[Walt Disney World Resort]]'s experimental greenhouses in [[Lake Buena Vista, Florida]] may be the largest single tomato plant in the world. The plant has been recognized as a Guinness World Record Holder, with a harvest of more than 32,000 tomatoes and a total weight of {{Convert|522|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="disney">[http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewImage.aspx?ImageID=101932 Walt Disney World News]</ref> It yields thousands of tomatoes at one time from a single vine. Yong Huang, [[Epcot]]'s manager of agricultural science, discovered the unique plant in Beijing, China. Huang brought its seeds to Epcot and created the specialized greenhouse for the fruit to grow. The vine grows golf ball-sized tomatoes, which are served at Walt Disney World restaurants. The world record-setting tomato tree can no longer be seen by guests along the [[Living with the Land|Living With the Land]] boat ride at Epcot, as the tree developed a disease and was removed in April 2010 after approximately 13 months of life.<ref name="disney"/> On August 30, 2007, 40,000 Spaniards gathered in [[Buñol]] to throw {{convert|115000|kg|lb}} of tomatoes at each other in the yearly [[Tomatina]] [[festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://itn.co.uk/news/9a5a1671ceba4f43741dc008f237c1ea.html |title=Spain's tomato fighters see red |publisher=[[ITV]] |date={{Date|2007-08-30|mdy}} |accessdate=2009-04-02}}</ref> ==Cultural impact== The town of [[Buñol]], Spain, annually celebrates [[Tomatina|La Tomatina]], a festival centered on an enormous tomato fight. Tomatoes are a popular "nonlethal" throwing weapon in mass protests, and there was a common tradition of throwing rotten tomatoes at bad performers on a stage during the 19th century; today this is usually referenced as a metaphor. Embracing it for this protest connotation, the [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Dutch Socialist party]] adopted the tomato as their logo. The US city of [[Reynoldsburg, Ohio]] calls itself "The Birthplace of the Tomato", claiming the first commercial variety of tomato was bred there in the 19th century.<ref name="About Reynoldsburg"/> Several US states have adopted the tomato as a state fruit or vegetable (see [[#Fruit or vegetable?|above]]). <!---Same situation occurs with the Mexican state of [[Sinaloa]] due the Mexican nationalwide fame for well-know growing tomato state also adopts like a state fruit and symbol.----> ==See also== {{stack| [[File:Tomates farcies végétariennes.jpg|thumb]] [[File:Suquet de peix.jpg|thumb|[[Suquet de peix]] ([[Catalan cuisine]])]] }} * [[List of heirloom tomato cultivars]] * [[Marglobe (tomato)|Marglobe]] * [[Ring culture]] * [[Tomatillo]] * [[Tomberry]] ==Footnotes== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==Further reading== * David Gentilcore. ''Pomodoro! A History of the Tomato in Italy'' (Columbia University Press, 2010), scholarly history ==External links== {{Commonscat|Tomatoes}} {{Commons|Solanum lycopersicum}} {{Wikispecies|Solanum lycopersicum}} {{Cookbook|Tomato}} {{Wikibooks|Horticulture|Tomato}} {{TaxonIds|name=''Solanum lycopersicum''|eol=392557|ncbi=4081|wikispecies=Solanum lycopersicum}} * {{NCBI|4081}} * {{ITIS|ID=521671|taxon=''Solanum lycopersicum''}} * {{Eol|392557}} * [http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG295/html/tomato_key.htm Tomato Pests] [[North Carolina State University|(NCSU)]] – Overview of the entomological threats to tomato cultivation. * [http://www.sgn.cornell.edu/about/tomato_sequencing.pl Tomato Genome Sequencing Project] – Sequencing of the twelve tomato chromosomes. * [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/solanaceaesource/taxonomy/description-detail.jsp?spnumber=3601 ''Solanum lycopersicum'' L. on Solanaceae Source] – Images, specimens and a full list of scientific synonyms previously used to refer to the tomato. * [http://www.eu-sol.wur.nl Tomato core collection database] – Phenotypes and images of 7,000 tomato cultivars * [http://www.kdcomm.net/~tomato/ The On-line Tomato Vine (Keith Mueller)] – Comprehensive and practical information on growing and breeding tomatoes. * [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=case-against-heirloom-tomatoes&print=true The case against heirloom tomatoes] at Scientific American * [http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/08/15/red_menace/ Red menace: How the ‘strange and horrible’ tomato conquered Italy, and America] at The Boston Globe * [http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/199203/new.world.foods.old.world.diet.htm Paul Lunde, ''New World Foods, Old World Diet'', 1992, Saudi Aramco World] [[Category:Tomatoes| ]] [[Category:Crops originating from the Americas]] [[Category:Nahuatl words and phrases]] [[Category:Fruit]] [[Category:Fruit vegetables]] [[Category:Plants described in 1753]] [[Category:Sequenced genomes]] {{Link GA|es}} [[ace:Truëng Tureuki]] [[af:Tamatie]] [[am:ቲማቲም]] [[ang:Heortæppel]] [[ab:Атомат]] [[ar:طماطم]] [[an:Solanum lycopersicum]] [[ast:Tomate]] [[gn:Tomate]] [[az:Pomidor]] [[bn:টমেটো]] [[bjn:Balinjan]] [[zh-min-nan:Kam-á-bi̍t]] [[ba:Помидор]] [[be:Тамат звычайны]] [[be-x-old:Памідоры]] [[bcl:Kamatis]] [[bg:Домат]] [[bar:Paradeiser]] [[bo:ལྡུམ་སྒོང་།]] [[bs:Paradajz]] [[br:Tomatez]] [[ca:Tomàquet]] [[cs:Rajče jedlé]] [[sn:Madomasi]] [[tum:Mpwetekele]] [[co:Pumata]] [[cy:Tomato]] [[da:Tomat]] [[de:Tomate]] [[dv:ވިލާތު ބަށި]] [[nv:Chʼil łichxíʼí]] [[dsb:Tomata]] [[et:Tomat]] [[el:Τομάτα]] [[es:Solanum lycopersicum]] [[eo:Tomato]] [[ext:Solanum lycopersicum]] [[eu:Tomate]] [[fa:گوجه فرنگی]] [[fr:Tomate]] [[ga:Tráta]] [[gv:Traase]] [[gd:Tomàto]] [[gl:Tomate]] [[gan:番茄]] [[glk:پامودور]] [[ko:토마토]] [[haw:ʻōhiʻa lomi]] [[hy:Լոլիկ]] [[hi:टमाटर]] [[hsb:Tomata]] [[hr:Rajčica]] [[io:Tomato]] [[ilo:Kamatis]] [[id:Tomat]] [[iu:ᒥᓗᑦᓱᑳᒐᖅ]] [[os:Пъамидор]] [[zu:Utamatisi]] [[is:Tómatur]] [[it:Solanum lycopersicum]] [[he:עגבנייה]] [[jv:Tomat]] [[kn:ಟೊಮೇಟೊ]] [[pam:Kamatis]] [[ka:ჩვეულებრივი პომიდორი]] [[kk:Қызанақ]] [[rw:Inyanya]] [[rn:Tomati]] [[sw:Mnyanya]] [[ht:Tomat]] [[ku:Firengî]] [[mrj:Помидор]] [[lad:Tomat]] [[lbe:Помидор]] [[la:Solanum lycopersicum]] [[lv:Tomāts]] [[lt:Pomidoras]] [[lij:Tomata]] [[ln:Tomáti]] [[hu:Paradicsom (növényfaj)]] [[mk:Домат]] [[mg:Voatabia]] [[ml:തക്കാളി]] [[mr:टोमॅटो]] [[ms:Tomato]] [[mdf:Помидор]] [[mn:Улаан лооль]] [[my:ခရမ်းချဉ်ပင်]] [[nah:Xītomatl]] [[nl:Tomaat]] [[ne:गोलभेडा]] [[ja:トマト]] [[nap:Pummarola]] [[no:Tomat]] [[nn:Tomat]] [[oc:Tomata]] [[uz:Pomidor]] [[pl:Pomidor zwyczajny]] [[pt:Tomate]] [[kaa:Pomidor]] [[ro:Roșie]] [[qu:Chilltu]] [[ru:Томат]] [[sa:वार्तकी]] [[sq:Domatja]] [[scn:Pumadoru]] [[simple:Tomato]] [[sk:Rajčiak jedlý]] [[sl:Paradižnik]] [[szl:Tůmata]] [[so:Yaanyo]] [[ckb:تەماتە]] [[sr:Парадајз]] [[sh:Rajčica]] [[su:Tomat]] [[fi:Tomaatti]] [[sv:Tomat]] [[tl:Kamatis]] [[ta:தக்காளி]] [[te:టమాటో]] [[th:มะเขือเทศ]] [[to:Temata]] [[chr:ᏔᎹᏟ]] [[tr:Domates]] [[udm:Помидор]] [[uk:Помідор]] [[ur:ٹماٹر]] [[ug:پەمىدۇر]] [[za:Makcaih]] [[vi:Cà chua]] [[vls:Tomatte]] [[yi:טאמאטע]] [[yo:Tòmátò]] [[zh-yue:番茄]] [[bat-smg:Tuomats]] [[zh:番茄]]'