Cherry tomato

cherry tomato
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: S. lycopersicum
Variety: cerasiforme
Trinomial name
Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme
(Dunal) D.M.Spooner, G.J.Anderson & R.K.Jansen[1]
Synonyms

Lycopersicon lycopersicum var. cerasiforme
Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme

A cherry tomato is a very small variety of tomato that has been cultivated since at least the early 1800s[2] and thought to have originated in Peru and Northern Chile.[3] Cherry tomatoes range in size from a thumbtip up to the size of a golf ball, and can range from being spherical to slightly oblong in shape. Although usually red, yellow, green and black varieties also exist. [4] The more oblong ones often share characteristics with plum tomatoes, and are known as grape tomatoes. The berry tomato is regarded as a botanical variety of the cultivated berry, Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme.[5]

History

Unripe cherry tomatoes on the vine
Cherry tomatoes on the vine

Cherry tomatoes are believed to go as far back as Aztec Mexico in at least the 15th century CE (see Tomato). Records of Santorini cherry tomatoes being heavily cultivated in Greece can be found as far back as 1875, from seeds brought there by a monk in the early 1800s. Locals believe that the seeds were imported from somewhere in Egypt.[6]

Cherry tomatoes have been popular in the United States since at least 1919.[7] Recipes using cherry tomatoes can be found in articles dating back to 1967.[8]

Cultivars

The Santorini cherry tomato developed from seeds brought to Santorini (Greece) in 1818.[6] It is known for its flavour and body.[9] International conferences dedicated to the cultivation, horticulture and agriculture of the cherry tomato are also held at Santorini.

The Tomaccio tomato was developed by several laboratories in Israel, the dominant ones being those led by Professor Nahum Keidar and Professor Chaim Rabinovitch from the Agriculture Faculty of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot Campus. The Tomaccio is the result of a 12-year breeding program using wild Peruvian tomato species to create a sweet snack tomato with an improved ripening time and shelf life.[10][11]

The Super Sweet 100 is a hybrid cultivar popular in the United States. It is resistant to both Fusarium and Verticillium wilt.

The Selke Biodynamic cherry tomato was named after Margrit Selke.[12] Emil Bock, in his book The Three Years,[13] wrote that the seed and plant of this unusual species contains forces evoking "the cosmic sphere of sunlit clouds, air and wind".

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Garden Tomato Synonyms (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme as Classified by NCBI Taxonomy) - Encyclopedia of Life". Eol.org. 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  2. ↑ "Tomato Casual » Greece\’s Santorini Cherry Tomatoes". Tomatocasual.com. 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  3. ↑ F. Smith, Andrew (1994). The tomato in America: early history, culture, and cookery. ISBN 978-1-57003-000-0.
  4. ↑ "BBC - Food - Cherry tomatoes recipes". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme, nomen.at". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Cherry Tomato Santorini Tomatina Greek Cherry Tomato History Santorini Greek Food Recipes". Santorini.com. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  7. ↑ "The Saskatoon Phoenix - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Milwaukee Journal - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "The History of the Cherry Tomato". santonet.gr.
  10. ↑ "Tomato 'Tomaccio'". Raker. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Tomaccio Sweet Raisin Tomatoes". Tomaccio.com. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  12. ↑ "McKean County Biodynamics featuring Master Gardener L. A. Rotheraine". Rotheraine.com. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  13. ↑

External links

Media related to Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme at Wikimedia Commons