ABSTRACT
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most important vegetable crop after potato in the world (FAOSTAT, 2014). In addition to being consumed as a fresh vegetable, it is also used as a salad, in ketchup, as a puree, as a pickle and in many other forms, depending on the growing region of the world. In 2013, it was estimated that 4.7 million ha of tomatoes were grown worldwide, producing more than 164 million mt of fruit (FAOSTAT, 2014). China has consistently been the largest producer of tomatoes for many years, with the United States second, although India has surpassed the United States in production since 2011. In the United States, tomatoes are grown in an area of about 175 000 ha producing about 11.5 million mt annually (USDA-NASS, 2013). In addition to being an important vegetable crop worldwide, tomato is also used as a model plant species for genetic studies related to fruit quality, stress tolerance (biotic and abiotic), and other physiological traits. It is widely adapted to many climates around the world spanning tropical to temperate regions. In order to meet the demand for tomatoes, it is also grown in greenhouses. Because of its economic contribution to the agriculture industry, there is abundant interest in using genomic tools to improve tomato and develop new varieties (Panthee and Chen, 2010; Paran and van der Knaap, 2007).
