| Abstract
| - Even though several types of phosphorus fertilizers are used in crop production, the influence ofphosphorus on produce quality is not well understood. Several quality attributes of tomato juice wereanalyzed in relation to phosphorus supplementation during a three-year field study (2000−2002). Inaddition to the recommended phosphorus fertilization, phosphorus supplementations, either throughsoil (low and high) or through foliar spray (hydrophos, seniphos), were tested. In general, soil andfoliar phosphorus supplementation did not provide a statistically significant increase in yield. Tomatojuice was evaluated for various quality characteristics including pH, titratable acidity, precipitate weightratio, total solids, serum viscosity, Brookfield viscosity, color, lycopene levels, vitamin C, and flavorvolatiles. Changes observed in several quality parameters were marginal, statistically insignificantand influenced by the season. Therefore, it appears that phosphorus supplementation may notsignificantly affect the processing quality parameters in tomato fruits. Keywords: Flavor volatiles; lycopene; Lycopersicon esculentum; nutraceuticals; processing quality;juice viscosity
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