Effect of Storage Temperatures on Color of Tomato Fruit (Solanum Lycopersicum Mill.) Cultivated under Moderate Water Stress Treatment

AbstractModerate water stress tomato cultivated hydroponically in the greenhouse contains high lycopene and very sensitive to storage temperatures. This study aimed to observe the effect of storage temperatures on the lycopene content and color quality parameters of tomato (both moderate water stress and no water stress tomato). The lycopene content of water stress tomato increased with the temperatures higher than 10°C while no water stress tomato relatively stable or increased slightly. The lightness (L*) value of water stress and no water stress tomato decreased during storage in 10, 15, 25 and 30°C temperatures. The redness (a*), yellowness (b*), a*/b*, hue (h), and chroma (C*) remained stable after 4 days storage in those temperatures. Storage with temperatures above 15°C increased the color parameters value of both water stress and no water stress tomato. Moderate water stress treatment increased the redness color and harvesting tomato in ripening stage will only shows lightness (L*) major change during storage