Adaptabilidade e seleção de espécies de physalis para regiões tropicais

Abstract

To introduce a new crop successfully, understanding its morphological traits and agronomic performance is crucial as it directly affects economic viability and the value of the final product. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of fivePhysalis species (P. peruviana, P. minima, P. ixocarpa, P. angulata, and P. pubescens) to determine their adaptability and identify promising species for cultivation in tropical regions, providing diversification alternatives for the area. A randomized-block experimental design with five replications was adopted in which each plot consisted of eight plants spaced 3 m apart in rows spaced 0.5 m apart. The central five plants were considered for analysis. The following parameters were evaluated: estimated yield (t.ha-1), number of fruits per plant, average fruit fresh weight (kg), fruit length and diameter (mm), and total soluble solids (°Brix). Physalisangulata exhibited fruits with the highest °Brix content (17.83), whereas P. ixocarpa had the longest and widest fruits (27.29 mm and 24.62 mm, respectively). Physalisminima showed the highest fruit production per plant (68.80), while P. ixocarpademonstrated the best performance in terms of average fruit fresh weight per plant (0.47 kg) and estimated yield (3.14 t.ha-1). A dissimilarity dendrogram formed four distinct groups of Physalis species. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that P. ixocarpa is suitable for breeding programs targeting quantitative traits such as average yield, weight, length, and diameter of fruits. For breeding purposes focused onqualitative traits, P. angulata is the most suitable species, followed by P. peruviana and P. pubescens.