Fruit type. Three types are most common: fresh market tomatoes, smaller-sized "cherry" tomatoes, and processing tomatoes (shown). Processing tomatoes have a bright red color and high solids content that makes them suitable for making paste, catsup, or sauce. [photo of all three types]

Plant habit. Determinate and semi-determinate varieties produce stems that end with a flower cluster. Determinates are short and bushy while semi-determinate varieties grow slightly taller.

Indeterminate varieties continually produce new leaves and flowers, and can grow very tall. Indeterminate varieties set fruit over a longer period. Indeterminate varieties should be staked and pruned and usually require more labor.

Disease resistance. Look for varieties that resist disease. Common diseases in the tropics include bacterial wilt, bacterial spot (shown), tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), fusarium wilt, and gray leaf spot. [photo of a sampling of tomato diseases]

Adaptation to season. Most tomato varieties are adapted to the cool, dry season when the environment for production is favorable. AVRDC has developed lines that can be grown during the hot, wet season when market prices are higher.