Mexico has preserved a wide diversity of heirloom tomatoes after 2,600 years of cultivation
Varieties such as kidney-shaped, little bird, deer eye and cherry are part of the diversity of the Mexican tomato, whose conservation depends largely on the selection and preservation of native seeds.
Tomatoes have been cultivated in what is now Mexico for about 2,600 years, and their domestication process has resulted in a wide diversity of varieties, currently present in states such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, San Luis Potosí, and Sonora, according to information released by the Mexican Ministry of Culture.
Among the native tomatoes that are preserved are varieties known as kidney-shaped, little bird, deer eye and cherry, linked to different territories, agricultural systems and forms of consumption.
The conservation of this genetic diversity depends, among other factors, on the work of producers and seed guardians who maintain practices of selection, extraction, and conservation of plant material. These techniques allow for the preservation of varieties adapted to local conditions and the maintenance of genetic resources associated with traditional agriculture.
The importance of these seeds will be one of the topics addressed during the Tomato Fair, which will be held on September 19 and 20 at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex in Mexico City. The program includes sessions on biodiversity, seed guardian networks, and the conservation of heirloom varieties.
The different phenological phases of the crop will also be shown, and practical activities will be carried out on seed extraction and preservation, as well as dehydration and transformation of the tomato.
The meeting will also address issues related to crop care, genetically modified tomatoes, and the role of native varieties in food.
The fair thus seeks to use the tomato as a starting point to disseminate Mexican agricultural diversity and the knowledge associated with seed conservation and the traditional management of this crop.
