An extensive real-world in field tomato image dataset involving maturity classification and recognition of fresh and defect tomatoes

Tomato, a fruiting plant species within the Solanaceae family, is a widely used ingredient in culinary dishes due to its sweet and acidic flavor profile, as well as its rich nutritional content. Recognized for its potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of coronary artery disease and specific types of cancer, tomatoes have become a staple in global cuisine. Traditional methods for tomato maturity assessment, harvesting, quality grading, and packaging are often labor-intensive and economically inefficient. This paper introduces an extensive dataset of high-resolution tomato images collected over an eight-month period from the demonstration fields of Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in collaboration with plant breeding experts of the same university. The dataset was meticulously curated to ensure precision and consistency, encompassing various stages of tomato maturity, including images of both fresh and defective tomatoes. This dataset is a valuable resource for researchers, stakeholders, and individuals interested in tomato production in Bangladesh, providing a robust foundation for leveraging computer vision and deep learning techniques in the agriculture sector. The dataset's potential applications extend to automating tasks such as robotic harvesting, quality assessment, and packaging systems, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of tomato production processes.