Datça Tomato

Datça tomato is a local tomato variety grown in the Datça district of Muğla province using locally adapted seeds and seedlings. It is characterized by its bright deep red color, thin skin, and juicy flesh. It has been officially registered with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office under the designation “Place of Origin” and is protected under geographical indication with Registry No: 1571 dated 17 April 2024.

Product Description and Distinctive Characteristics

The Datça tomato is produced from low-growing, bush-type local tomato seedlings. The fruit has a slightly round, flattened and lobed shape. The blossom end is smooth and calyx-like, with no scar tissue on the fruit surface. The interior is multilocular, red in color, and firm in texture. This variety is distinguished by its high juiciness and lacks a sour taste.

Datça Tomato (AA)

Climatic Characteristics

The Datça district is a peninsula with an average of 300 sunny days per year and an average humidity level of 58%. Cool northerly winds during summer mitigate the adverse effects of high temperatures. Significant day-night temperature differences enhance fruit quality and durability. The prolonged sunlight exposure supports the sugar-acid balance and synthesis of aromatic compounds in the tomato.

Chemical Properties

• Soluble dry matter content (SDMC): 3.20% – 4.68%
• pH: 4.58 – 4.74
• Titratable acidity: 0.024 – 0.044 g/100 mL
• Phenolic content: 0.0076 – 0.080 mg GAE/mL
• Antioxidant capacity: 42.84% – 70.00%
• Lycopene: 14.10 – 39.60 mg/kg
• Ascorbic acid: 0.95 – 6.97 mg/mL

Pomological Characteristics

• Fruit weight: 81.00 – 284.40 g
• Fruit height: 3.80 – 9.10 cm
• Fruit width: 4.00 – 10.50 cm
• Number of sepals: 4 – 6
• Number of nodes: 1 – 11
• Pistil length: 0.9 – 2.0 mm
• Shape index: 0.64 – 1.93

Datça Tomato (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)

Production Method

Selection of Rootstock and Seedling Preparation

Local low-growing bush-type tomato varieties are used as seedlings. Seedlings are ready for transplanting by mid-July when they reach a height of 15 cm and have developed 3–4 leaves.

Soil Preparation and Planting

Soil is plowed at the end of April and reworked in early June to improve aeration. Seedlings are planted in ridges equipped with drip irrigation systems at spacings of 60–75 cm. The distance between ridges is 140–150 cm. Planting is done manually during daytime hours.

Maintenance

Weeding: Done manually 20 days after planting.

Hilling: Done with a tractor 15 days after weeding to cover the base of seedlings.

Pruning: Not applied.

Irrigation: Applied for 2 hours on the night of planting, then every 5 days for 2 hours until fruit set, and every 5 days for 4 hours after fruit set.

Fertilization: Base fertilizer is applied in June. During flowering, foliar fertilizer is used as needed. After harvest, potassium nitrate is applied.

Agricultural Protection

Weed control is carried out using approved herbicides. Integrated pest management methods authorized by agricultural authorities are applied for plant diseases and pests.

Harvesting and Storage

The Datça tomato reaches harvest maturity 75–80 days after seedling transplanting. Harvesting begins at the beginning of September and continues until the end of January. During manual harvesting, tomatoes are gently twisted off at the stem. Harvested produce is packed in crates of 20–22 kg and transported on the same day to major urban centers. Under cold chain conditions, the tomatoes can be stored for approximately two months.

Mature Datça Tomato (AA)

Geographical Boundary and Monitoring

The Datça tomato is cultivated exclusively within the boundaries of the Datça district of Muğla province. Monitoring is conducted by a minimum three-member committee coordinated by the Datça Municipality, including one expert from the Datça District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and one from the Chamber of Food Engineers of the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers. Regular inspections are carried out at least once annually, with additional inspections performed as needed or upon complaint.