This presentation will help consultants, growers, and other practitioners in any region who are interested in developing tomato varieties with improved flavor. Many consumers are dissatisfied with commercially grown tomatoes and think tomato breeders focus only on traits other than flavor, such as yield, shipping ability, and disease resistance. This talk provides some insights into the intricacies and realities required to develop and market tomato varieties with improved flavor. The components of tomato flavor are presented, along with some of the major constraints to improving these in different types of tomatoes. The Tasti-LeeTM variety is used to illustrate some major characteristics that are required for commercial production of a labeled tomato variety with improved flavor. Furthermore, the difficulties in making further flavor improvement in this variety are illustrated.
