Abstract

CRIOLLO, HERNANDO et al. Behavior of three cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) genotypes under different pruning systems. rev.colomb.cienc.hortic. [online]. 2014, vol.8, n.1, pp.34-43. ISSN 2011-2173.

As the second export fruit from Colombia, cape gooseberry cultivation has vast potential, but no specific study on the pruning of this plant that is orientated toward better yields and fruit quality exists in the country. This study was carried out at the Experimental Center of Botana, University of Nariño (Pasto, Colombia) in order to evaluate the behavior of three cape gooseberry ecotypes, handled with a different number of branches, under greenhouse conditions. The statistical design was completely randomized blocks in a three-factorial arrangement with four replications. The first factor accounted for the three cape gooseberry genotypes: Kenya, Silvania and Regional Nariño; the second for the number of primary branches (3 and 4) and the third factor for the number of secondary productive branches inserted in each of the primary branches (4 and 8). The secondary branches were pinched when they reached a total of 25 floral buds (nodes). A set of variables related to the fruit, such as diameter, fresh weight, cracked fruit and yield per plant, was evaluated. The Sylvania and Kenya genotypes exceeded the Regional Nariño fruit for fresh weight (7.22 and 5.99 g), fruit diameter (32.18 and 22.12 mm) and plant yield (3.67 and 2.92 kg, respectively). While the fresh fruit weight was not influenced by the number of branches, the fruit diameter decreased with increasing numbers of secondary branches. The higher fruit cracking percentages were seen in 'Sylvania' and 'Kenya' (8.9% and 8.1%, respectively); however, in 'Sylvania', the fruit cracking decreased with increasing numbers of primary branches.

Keywords : reproductive branches; yield; fruits; greenhouse.

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