Genetic variability in Chilean pepino (Solanum muricatum Aiton) fruit

MUÑOZ, C.; PERTUZÉ, R.; BALZARINI, M.; BRUNO, C.; SALVATIERRA, A.

CHILEAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

INST INVESTIGACIONES AGROPECUARIAS

Lugar: Chillán; Año: 2014 vol. 74 p. 143 - 143

0718-5820

olanum muricatum Aiton is an herbaceous perennial fruit species native to the Andean region of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. In Chile, it was probably introduced in pre-Columbian times as a domesticated species and is presently grown in the coastal areas of the north-central regions of Coquimbo and Valparaíso. The species has been bred, but little information is available on its genetic variability in Chile. To characterize the genetic variability in this species, fruits were collected from 14 different ecotypes and seeds were sown to generate approximately 60 segregants from each accession. Segregants were planted at two different locations to characterize their fruits and fruiting habits. Fruit weight ranged from 30 to 485 g, while length was 3.5 to 16.7 cm, equatorial diameter 3.4 to 9.5 cm, pulp firmness 1.7 to 10 N, and soluble solids content 6.3 to 13.5° Brix. Fruit shape ranged from flat to oblong. When analyzing the estimated variance components with a mixed linear model, most