SELECTION FOR FRUIT YIELD AND QUALITY FROM PLANT x PLANT CROSSES BETWEEN HUSK TOMATO VARIETIES

Abstract

Fruit yield and quality of 220 plant-to-plant crosses between varieties CHF1-Chapingo and Verde Puebla of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot.) were evaluated as selection criteria. The evaluation, including the two parental varieties, was done in 2001 at Tecamac and Chapingo, México, in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Measured traits were: fruit yield per plant (kg) in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd harvest and total yield (RTF); individual weight (g), firmness (kg cm^-2), total soluble solids (Brix degrees) and polar and equatorial diameters (mm) of fruit (PEF, FIF, SST, DPF and DEF, respectively) were measured only in the first harvest. The mean fruit yield of parents increased from 0.39 to 0.73 kg/plant from the 1st to the 3rd harvest, as well as that of the crosses from 0.40 to 1.01 kg/plant. Total yield of CHF1-Chapingo and Verde Puebla were 2.02 and 1.34 kg/plant , respectively, and total yield of crosses varied from 1.20 to 2.84 kg/plant, with a mean of 2.04 kg/plant (42.50 t ha^-1 ). The mean heterosis in the crosses increased from the 1st to the 3rd harvest from 0.01 to 0.28 kg/plant, and heterobeltiosis in the best cross increased from 0.48 to 0.76 kg/plant. In total yield the mean heterosis was 0.36 kg/plant (21.4 %) and heterobeltiosis in the best cross (C127) was 0.82 kg/plant (40.6 %), which yielded 2.84 kg/plant. In the five traits of fruit quality (PEF, FIF, SST, DPF and DEF), mean heterosis was negative, but the heterobeltiosis of the best cross varied from 0.7 to 19.2 %.