Evaluating the Agronomic Impact of Induced Polyploidy in Physalis ixocarpa

Brenda L. Santiago-M., Areli González-Cortés, Rosalinda Mendoza-Villarreal, Armando Hernández-Pérez and Valentín Robledo-Torres

Background and Objective: Husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa), native to Mexico, is widely consumed in dishes and sauces. Despite its adaptation to adverse climates, there is a need for higher-yielding varieties. Polyploidy has enabled the development of larger fruits and increased yields in crops such as watermelon and potato. This study evaluated the effects of chemically induced polyploidy on the morphology, seed characteristics and fruit yield of Physalis ixocarpa. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, colchicine and oryzalin were applied at four concentrations (0.08, 0.12, 0.16 and 0.20%) to induce polyploidy in germinated seeds. Ploidy level was verified through cytological analysis and seedling morphological characteristics were evaluated. In the second stage, yield and fruit quality were analyzed in both diploid and polyploid plants, highlighting the positive effects of polyploidy on crop performance. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with a 2×6 factorial structure and mean comparisons were performed using Tukey’s test at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Higher seedling survival was observed with 0.20% colchicine and 0.08% oryzalin. Polyploid seedlings exhibited smaller stomata, a lower stomatal index and larger seeds, with a 9.6% reduction in seed coat thickness, smaller embryo size and a different embryo position. Germination was higher in polyploids (83.33%). Polyploid plants achieved greater fruit weight per plant (1.277 kg), number of fruits per plant (35) and yield per hectare (56 t). Their fruits were larger, had higher soluble solids content (4.97%) and lower firmness (2.92 kg m^-2) compared to diploids (4.5 kg m^-2). Conclusion: The induced polyploidy improves fruit yield and quality, although it reduces firmness. The application of colchicine and oryzalin proved effective for inducing polyploidy in Physalis ixocarpa.

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