Phenotypic diversity of wild tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) populations

• Alvarado-Rodríguez, Rommel I ^[2] ; Legaria-Solano, Juan Porfirio ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad Autónoma Chapingo

     Universidad Autónoma Chapingo

     México

     
  2. [2] Universidad Autónoma Chapingo,Postgrado en Biotecnología Agrícola.
• Localización: Agro Productividad, ISSN-e 2594-0252, Vol. 15, Nº. 5, 2022 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Mayo), págs. 41-53
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Objective: To produce information about the morpho-agronomic variability of 15 wild tomato populations from different areas of Mexico.

    Design/Methodology/Approach: A completely experimental design was used, comprised of 17 treatments (15 wild tomato populations and two commercial tomato populations) and 10 repetitions (individuals). The experimental unit was a plant (individual) which was subjected to an evaluation of 65 morpho-agronomic descriptors, proposed by Biodiversity International. An analysis of variance using repeated measurements was carried out and the mean differences were compared with Tukey’s multiple comparison test (p0.05). The quantitative and qualitative variables were subjected to a main component and multiple correspondence analyses, respectively.

    Results: A wide variability of the morphological traits and the quality attributes of the fruits —such as consistency and total soluble solids— was recorded. The main component and multiple correspondence analyses accounted for 67.41 and 42.06% of the phenotypic variation, respectively, in the first three components and dimensions. The more discriminatory characteristics belonged to fruits and cymes, based on which the populations were divided into four groups. The first group was made up of heirloom tomatoes with multiparous cyme, and red, small, and medium fruits; the second group was made up of cherry and grape tomatoes with uniparous and multiparous cymes, and yellow, orange, red, and very small fruits; the third group was made up of beef and cocktail tomatoes with uniparous and bifurcated cymes and red, orange, yellow, and small and medium fruits; finally, the fourth group was made up of purple beef tomatoes with uniparous cymes and medium size tomatoes.

    Study Limitations/Implications: A molecular characterization must be carried out in order to better understand the variability of these populations.

    Findings/Conclusions: All wild tomato populations show a wide genetic heritage. Fruits characteristics —such as size, shape, and color, as well as all types of cymes, and f lowering days— contributed to the discrimination of the accessions. Indeterminate plants and red fruits showed higher °Brix than semi-determined plants and orange, yellow, and purple fruits; however, the latter had a better f lavor. A new type of tomato leaf that had not been previously reported among the tomato descriptors was found; the leaf was described as “with sprout”.