Effect of maturity stage on ripening and quality characters of four tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties of Sri Lanka

The effect of maturity stage on ripening and quality characters of four tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) varieties was evaluated. The varieties selected were Thilina, Bathiya, Maheshi and Lanka cherry, due to their widespread cultivation and popularity among consumers. Tomato fruits of three maturity stages e.g. colour breaker, 25% maturity and 50% maturity were considered. Maturity stages significantly affected the fruit ripening and quality parameters. The fruits harvested at colour breaker stage had the highest weight loss (22.45%) except in the variety Lanka cherry. Total soluble solid (TSS) content was not significantly different at different maturity stages except in the variety Thilina (P≤0.05). But in the variety Thilina, the highest TSS was recorded in the fruits harvested at 50% maturity (4.07). In varietal comparison, both varieties Lanka cherry and Thilina had the highest TSS values in each maturity stages compared to other two varieties. Titrable acidity in varieties Bathiya (9.95%) and Maheshi(8.4%) was significantly higher at colour breaker stage than the rest of two maturity stages, while in the case of Lanka cherry and Thilina, though titrable acidity was not significant among colour breaker stage and 25% maturity stages, it was significantly lower at 50% maturity stage. As expected, pH had increased with the progression of the maturity except in two varieties, Thilina and Maheshi. The study indicates that identification of effective maturity stage is an important to retain superior fruit quality by maintaining a low rate of weight loss and softening in tomato fruits after harvest for prolong storage and distant markets.