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AGROMORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CHERIMOYA GERMPLASM (Annona cherimola MILL.) FROM TWO EX SITU COLLECTIONS IN ECUADOR

Abstract:

The objective of this research was to carry out the morphoagronomic characterization of 120 cherimoya accessions of germplasm from the University of Cuenca (Farm El Romeral) and INIAP (Austro Research Site). It was evaluated 66 descriptors, 33 qualitative and 33 quantitative according to the Bioversity Intenational's descriptors. An analysis of principal components (PC) and hierarchical classification was performed. The PC analysis indicated that the first four components explained 69.45 % of the total variability and the hierarchical classification identified four groups, which together with the PC revealed a high contribution of the characters to the existing variation. The quantitative characteristics that contributed to the conformation of the components were fruit weight, longitudinal and equatorial fruit diameter, seed length, exocarp thickness, diameter and length of the peduncle, firmness, pH, seed number, seed weight and total soluble solids content. The qualitative variables that contributed to the conformation of the components were taste of the pulp, type of exocarp, resistance to abrasion, seed detachment and fiber content of the pulp. The qualitative and quantitative characters showed intermediate phenotypic variability, since of 20 quantitative variables which represent 60 %, 12 of these variables, have a coefficient of variation of over 20 %.