it is a kind of tomato whose size is smaller and usually it tastes a little sweeter than a regular tomato. it is used in salads, ornaments sophisticated dishes or eaten plain. its diameter varies between 3 and 10 cm, and its shape between the sphere and an ellipse. the tomato has been cultivated since at least the early 1800s and is presumed to have originated in peru and northern chile. the species that is most commonly marketed today was developed in israel by research institutes in the field of genetic engineering in the country. the group that is most emphasized in this research is affiliated with agriculture faculty of the hebrew university campus in the city of rehovot. this species was developed because of the need for a more suitable kind to the israeli weather and the time of decay and ripening tomato was higher.