Descriptors for tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) and wild relatives

The tree tomato or tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) is a neglected Andean crop, which nonetheless is quite popular in local markets of South America especially for being consumed in juices and as a fresh fruit. This crop represents an important alternative for diversification of fruit production both in its region of origin and also in other areas of the world. In this respect, important efforts have been made for the development of the crop in Colombia, Ecuador and New Zealand, where production and exports have increased markedly in the last decades. To facilitate the conservation of tree tomato genetic resources, their use, and its genetic improvement, the descriptors for tree tomato and wild relatives were developed following the international standardized documentation system for the characterization and study of the genetic resources as promoted by Bioversity.