International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences 2014; 3(4): 318-325 Published online July 30, 2014 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijnfs) doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.23 ISSN: 2327-2694 (Print); ISSN: 2327-2716 (Online) Physico-chemical evaluation of fruits from the fourth filial generation of some breeding lines of tomatoes Wisdom Selorm Kofi Agbemavor 1 , Wellington Torgby-Tetteh 1 , Emmanuel Kwatei Quartey 2 , Joseph Nunoo 2 , Wonder Nunekpeku 2 , Mavis Owureku-Asare 1 , Joyce Agyei-Amponsah 1 , John Apatey 1 1 Radiation Technology Centre of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon-Accra, Ghana 2 Nuclear Agriculture Research Centre of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon-Accra, Ghana Email address: wakselorm@gmail.com (W. S. K. Agbemavor), wtorgbytetteh@yahoo.com (W. Torgby-Tetteh), emmaquart@yahoo.com (E. K. Quartey), joenunoo85@gmail.com (J. Nunoo), nuswonder@gmail.com (W. Nunekpeku), mowureku.asare@gmail.com (M. Owureku-Asare), ampjoyce@gmail.com (J. Agyei-Amponsah), kudjoeapatey2000@yahoo.co.uk (J. Apatey) To cite this article: Wisdom Selorm Kofi Agbemavor, Wellington Torgby-Tetteh, Emmanuel Kwatei Quartey, Joseph Nunoo, Wonder Nunekpeku, Mavis Owureku-Asare, Joyce Agyei-Amponsah, John Apatey. Physico-Chemical Evaluation of Fruits from the Fourth Filial Generation of Some Breeding Lines of Tomatoes. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences. Vol. 3, No. 4, 2014, pp. 318-325. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.23 Abstract: In an effort to improve upon tomato varieties on the Ghanaian market, this study was carried out to identify genotypes with desirable qualities for further breeding work. The study was executed by crossing some varieties of Solanum lycopersicon; cherry red, cherry yellow, roma and wosowoso with a wild tomato, Solanum pimpinellifolium. The progenies were cultivated for four generations to obtain these lines. Fruits harvested from these lines of F 4 were analysed for the following physico-chemical properties; dry matter, pH, total titratable acidity, total soluble solids and vitamin C. The total soluble solids and total titratable acidity were used to deduce flavour and sweetness indices for the fruits. Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed among and within the various breeding lines. The dry matter, pH and total soluble solids of the fruits ranged from 5.21-8.43%, 4.08-4.59 and 4.00-7.80% respectively. Total titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, flavour and sweetness indices also ranged from 0.35-0.88%, 16.84-46.09 mg/100g, 0.07-0.16 and 5.33-13.64 respectively. In all wosowoso breeding lines were the most promising of all the breeding lines. Most of the progenies obtained had characteristics significantly (p<0.05) different from each other and then from those of their respective parents (controls). This shows that the various lines were still in the process of segregating and had not yet attained the status of pure lines. Keywords: Tomatoes, Breeding Lines, Physico-Chemical, Progenies 1. Introduction Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) is a herbaceous annual crop. It is one of the most widely consumed vegetable and used in most local dishes in Ghana [1]. It is the second most important vegetable in dollar value and the greatest source of vitamins and minerals in the United States [2]. Just as other fresh fruits and vegetables, tomato fruit is a very important source of vitamins A and C and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus that are essential for healthy human diets [3]. Several characteristics such as dry matter, soluble solids, sugar, acidity and pH are essential fruit quality parameters for both fresh and processed tomatoes. The flavour of tomatoes is dependent on the amount of sugar and acids present. The relative amounts of constituent sugars and acids as well as their interactions play very significant roles in the sweetness, sourness and overall flavour intensity in tomatoes [4]. High sugars and relatively high acids are required for best flavour. High acids and low sugars will produce a sour tomato while high sugars and low acids will result in a tasteless tomato [5-6]. Soluble solids and titratable acidities are the main components responsible for tomato flavour [6] and properties most likely to match the consumer