“…For this purpose, we present a case study of selection for tolerance to the heavy metal cadmium, in plants of the tomato cultivar Micro-Tom (Solanum lycopersicum L.), widely used as model plant (Meissner et al 1997) in numerous studies on genetics (Lima et al 2004, Butelli et al 2008, physiology , Monteiro et al 2011, Carvalho et al 2013, biochemistry of plants (Gratão et al 2008, and on ultrastructural changes (Vitória et al 2003, Gratão et al 2009). This tomato cultivar has several advantages, such as a low plant height (about 15 cm) and a short life cycle (80-90 days from sowing to harvest), making it a very suitable model plant for mutagenesis studies aimed at selecting new mutants (Matsukura et al 2007, Watanabe et al 2007, Pino-Nunes et al 2009). We believe that the methodology proposed here is fast and effective due to the fact that selection occurs in the seedling stage, few days after germination, allowing the evaluation of a large number of plants per area unit.…”