Tomato

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), herbaceous plant of the nightshade family, native to South America but introduced to Europe in the 16th century and now cultivated worldwide; also, the fruit of the plant. Most of the crop is canned or processed to make prepared foods, a relatively small proportion being grown for salad use. In northern latitudes, tomatoes are grown under glass, but the bulk are grown as a field crop. Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Japan are among the leading producers.