Study of inbreeding in tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Horm.)

Abstract

Only intervarietal and interfamilial hybridization can be carried out in tomatillo. Therefore, the objective was to study the effect of inbreeding in families of four varieties of tomatillo obtained through three generations of mating by fraternal and plant-to-plant crosses. The varieties studied were Tecozautla, Diamante, Manzano and Morado, each represented by three maternal half-sib families (Generation 1). In 2018, plant-to-plant and fraternal crosses were made in selected plants within each family, resulting in full-sib (FSF) and maternal half-sib (MHSF) families, respectively (Generation 2). In 2019, the process was repeated in Generation 2 families, and another generation of FSFs and MHSFs (Generation 3) was obtained. Field evaluation was conducted in 2020. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used, and yield per plant was evaluated in two harvests and total yield per plant, as well as fruit weight, volume and bulk density, in each harvest and average of harvests. Inbreeding depression occurred among generations. Fruit yield, size and volume in the first harvest decreased over generations. The Tecozautla and Diamante varieties showed greater inbreeding depression. The type of cross had a different effect depending on the variety. Fruit size was lower in plant-to-plant crosses in Tecozautla, Diamante and Morado; that is, they generated greater inbreeding depression than the fraternal crosses.