Use of multivariate statistics to determine fertilization practices that affect fruit quality of naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.)

Introduction – Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) is a native fruit of the Andes and is cultivated in several provinces of the Ecuadorian Amazon. It constitutes a crop of economic importance for the small farmers of this region of Ecuador. There is a lack of information on the nutrients required by this crop species in Amazonian soil conditions, as well as the effect on nutrition and fruit quality. Materials and methods – This study assessed a complete fertilization regime (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S + lime), as well as the omission of nutrients to determine effects on fruit quality. Data was analyzed using multivariate statistics (main component analysis) by R 3.2.4 statistical software and the responses were examined using a statistical model run in SAS 9.3 software. Results and discussion – We found