Studies on the inheritance of high ascorbic acid level in tomatoes

Genetical and biochemical studies on the wild, green fruited tomato speciesLycopersicum minutum showed that the level of ascorbic acid found in its fruits is much higher than that inL. esculentum. The characteristic of high asorbic acid level is an inherited one and can be transferred into cultivated tomato varieties. Some lines derived from the interspecific crossL. esculentum xL. minutum show as high ascorbic acid level as 43 mg % while standard tomato strains have 17 mg %. The mode of inheritance of high ascorbic acid level is not yet clearly explained and further investigations are being carried out.