tomatoes

The modern supermarket-variety tomato descended from a limited number of genetic lines in Central and South America. For each type of tomato—big sandwhich tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, canning tomatoes, and so on—there are many sub-varieties which may grow well in a different part of the country or exhibit especially strong resistance to certain diseases. However, because the plants are so inbred, and the selection focus has remained so long on yield properties and disease resistance, genes associated with high lycopene content have not always been passed on, reducing the brilliance of the fruit.

Photo by Emily Rowlands