THE IMPACT OF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS ON THE MICRONUTRIENT CONTENT IN TOMATO FRUITS

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important and widely cultivated vegetable crops worldwide, valued for its nutritional, energetic, and medicinal properties. The growing demand for sustainable agriculture has increased interest in organic and integrated production systems, which limit or eliminate the use of synthetic inputs. This study aimed to examine the content of microelements in tomatoes grown under organic and integrated production systems. Two tomato types (cluster and beef), comprising four different hybrids, were cultivated in a controlled environment using a randomized block design with four replications. The content of chemical elements was determined through multielemental analysis of micronutrients using inductively coupled plasma with quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS; iCAP Q, Thermo Scientific X Series 2). The results will contribute to a better understanding of how production systems affect the mineral composition of tomatoes, with implications for food quality and safety in sustainable agriculture.