Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Maavitsalised (Solanales)
Sugukond: Maavitsalised (Solanaceae)
Perekond: Tomat (Lycopersion)
Liik: Harilik tomat - Solanum lycopersicum L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Tomat, mida peamiselt kasvatatakse üheaastase rohttaimena on püstise või roomava, vahelduvalt haruneva varrega. Lehed on rohelised, katkestunult sulgjad 10-25 cm pikad, 5 kuni 9 hõlmaga, millest igaüks on umbes 7,5 cm pikk ja saagja servaga. Esineb ka lihtsama leheehitusega, nn kartulilehiseid kultivare. Leheseis vahelduv. Taime katavad valkjad näärmekarvakesed, mille eritis annab sellele iseloomuliku lõhna. [1-4]

Õied on mõlemasoolised ja paiknevad pöörisjates õisikutes. Õite hulk on sortidel erinev. Õiekate on kaheli, viietine. Õied on 1–2 cm läbimõõduga, viie teravatipulise lahklehise rohelise tupplehega ning liitlehise kollase kroonlehtedega. Tolmukad on servadest kokku kasvanud, moodustades ümber emakasuudme kolonni. Kultivaride õied võivad olla isetolmlevad. Vili on läikiva nahkja kestaga mari, mis valminult harilikult punane, kollane või oranž. Tomati viljaliha koosneb perikarbi seintest. Viljas on õõnsad paljuseemnelised ruumid, mida nimetatakse lokulaarseteks õõnsusteks. Need varieeruvad kultiveeritud liikide lõikes vastavalt tüübile. Mõnedel väiksematel sortidel on kaks õõnsust, ümara kujuga sortidel tavaliselt kolm kuni viis, lihatomatitel on palju väiksemaid õõnsusi, samas kui pastatomatitel on väga vähesed, väga väikesed õõnsused.[1-4]

Levila
Tomati metsik eellane, Solanum pimpinellifolium, on pärit Lõuna-Ameerika lääneosast. Need metsikud vormid kandsid hernesuuruseid vilju. [5] Euroopasse toodi tomat varsti pärast Ameerika avastamist, algul kasvatati teda ilutaimena. Majanduslik tähtsusega köögiviljaks sai tomat Euroopa lõunaosas 19. sajandi keskpaiku. [4]

Toime ja kasutamine
Tomatid on toitaineterikkad, kuid samas madala kalorsusega viljad. Küpsed tomatid koosnevad suuresti veest, mis moodustab umbes 94% nende massist. Lisaks sisaldavad nad 2,9% süsivesikuid, 0,8% valku, 0,4% rasva, 0,8% kiudaineid ja 0,6% mineraalaineid. Tänu kõrgele veesisaldusele on tomatid madala kalorsusega; 100 grammi tomatit sisaldab vaid umbes 20 kilokalorit. Tomatite peamiseks energiaallikaks on suhkrud, nagu glükoos ja fruktoos, ning orgaanilised happed, sealhulgas sidrunhape ja õunhape.  [6]

Tomatitele iseloomuliku värvi annavad pigmendid lükopeen ja beetakaroteen. Töödeldud tomatitoodetes, nagu pastades ja kastmetes, on nende kasulike pigmentide kontsentratsioon isegi kõrgem. Lisaks on tomatites rikkalikult vitamiine, sealhulgas B-rühma vitamiine, C-vitamiini, E-vitamiini ja K-vitamiini, samuti mitmeid mikroelemente nagu vask, raud, jood, fluor ja tsink. Tomatid sisaldavad rohkesti kaaliumi ja vähe naatriumi. Tomati rohelised osad, nagu varred ja lehed, sisaldavad mürgiseid alkaloide, sealhulgas solaniini ja tomatiini. Seetõttu on oluline vältida taime roheliste osade tarbimist. [2]

Kasutatud kirjandus
1. North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Solanum lycopersicum. Retrieved from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-lycopersicum/
2. Barceloux, D. G. (2009). Potatoes, tomatoes, and solanine toxicity (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanum lycopersicum L.). Disease-a-Month, 55(6), 391–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.disamonth.2009.03.009
3. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, October 18). tomato. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/tomato 
4. Entsüklopeedia.ee. (n.d.). Tomat. Retrieved from http://entsyklopeedia.ee/artikkel/tomat1
5. Smithsonian Magazine. (2015). Why the Wild, Tiny 'Pimp' Tomato Is So Important. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/why-wild-tiny-pimp-tomato-so-important-180955911/
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year-round average (Report No. 11529). National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from https://web.archive.org/web/20140728075104/http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3270?qlookup=11529&format=Full&max=25&man=&lfacet=&new=1

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: Tomato - Solanum lycopersicum L..

Botanical Description
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an annual herbaceous plant commonly grown as an annual crop. It has an upright or sprawling, alternately branching stem. The leaves are green, pinnately compound, measuring 10–25 cm in length, and composed of 5 to 9 lobes, each about 7.5 cm long with serrated edges. There are also cultivars with simpler leaves, known as "potato-leaved" varieties. The leaves are arranged alternately, and the plant is covered with whitish glandular hairs that exude a characteristic aroma. [1-4]

The flowers are bisexual and arranged in whorled inflorescences, with the number of flowers varying by cultivar. The flowers have a two-parted perianth with five sepals and five united yellow petals. The stamens are fused around the pistil, forming a central column. Tomato cultivars often have self-pollinating flowers. The fruit is a glossy, fleshy berry, which when ripe is typically red, yellow, or orange. It develops from the ovary after pollination, with the fleshy pericarp forming the fruit's structure. Inside, the fruit contains hollow, seed-filled chambers called locular cavities, which vary among cultivars. Smaller cultivars may have two chambers, round ones typically three to five, and larger fleshy varieties have many smaller chambers. Paste tomatoes usually have fewer and smaller cavities. [1-4]

Distribution
The wild ancestor of the tomato, Solanum pimpinellifolium, originates from the western regions of South America and produced pea-sized fruits. [5] The tomato was introduced to Europe shortly after the discovery of the Americas, initially grown as an ornamental plant. It became a significant economic vegetable in southern Europe by the mid-19th century. [4]

Effects and Uses
Tomatoes are nutrient-rich and low in calories. Mature tomatoes are composed of approximately 94% water, 2.9% carbohydrates, 0.8% protein, 0.4% fat, 0.8% fiber, and 0.6% minerals. Due to their high water content, tomatoes are low-calorie foods, providing only about 20 kilocalories per 100 grams. The primary energy sources in tomatoes are sugars like glucose and fructose, along with organic acids, including citric acid and malic acid.

The red or orange color of tomatoes comes from pigments such as lycopene and beta-carotene. These beneficial compounds are more concentrated in processed tomato products like pastes and sauces. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamins, including B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K, as well as trace elements like copper, iron, iodine, fluorine, and zinc. They are particularly high in potassium and low in sodium, making them a heart-healthy choice.

However, the green parts of the plant, such as stems and leaves, contain toxic alkaloids like solanine and tomatine, and should not be consumed. [2]

References
1. North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Solanum lycopersicum. Retrieved from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-lycopersicum/
2. Barceloux, D. G. (2009). Potatoes, tomatoes, and solanine toxicity (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanum lycopersicum L.). Disease-a-Month, 55(6), 391–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.disamonth.2009.03.009
3. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, October 18). Tomato. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/tomato
4. Entsüklopeedia.ee. (n.d.). Tomat. Retrieved from http://entsyklopeedia.ee/artikkel/tomat1
5. Smithsonian Magazine. (2015). Why the Wild, Tiny 'Pimp' Tomato Is So Important. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/why-wild-tiny-pimp-tomato-so-important-180955911/