Articles
VEGETABLE CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN AREAS AFFECTED BY SALINITY: THE CASE OF PEPINO (SOLANUM MURICATUM)
Article number
618_30
Pages
267 – 273
Language
English
Abstract
The increase of water and soil salinity is one of the main problems for vegetable crop production in arid and semiarid areas.
The introduction of new crops resistant to salinity represent an alternative for the diversification of vegetable crop production, can contribute to a more sustainable horticulture; and to a higher stability of yield and farmers income.
Pepino (Solanum muricatum) has excellent prospects for its cultivation in areas affected by salinity.
In particular, pepino clonal hybrids are especially interesting because of vigorous growth, and a higher yield stability.
We have grown two parthenocarpic hybrids and their four parents under saline (8 dS•m-1) and non-saline (3 dS•m-1) conditions over four years.
Results show salinity has detrimental effects on yield, but the reduction is lower in hybrids (around 15%) than in their parents (around 30%). Accordingly, parthenocarpic clonal hybrids give high yields (even >90 t•ha-1), higher than those of non hybrid parents under non saline conditions, and have an improved yield stability, resulting from a lower variation in yield among years.
Furthermore, when grown under saline conditions, pepino has a higher earliness (between 9 and 16 days) and soluble solids content (about 25%) than under non saline conditions.
Despite a salinity-induced reduction in fruit weight in clonal hybrids, fruit size in these hybrids is of commercial quality.
Environmental correlations show under saline conditions, soluble solids content is not correlated with yield, fruit weight or earliness and therefore it is possible, through improved management, to increase yield and quality.
These works demonstrate that vegetable crop diversification with new crops like pepino, possessing with a high tolerance to salinity, can be of great interest for areas affected by this problem.
The introduction of new crops resistant to salinity represent an alternative for the diversification of vegetable crop production, can contribute to a more sustainable horticulture; and to a higher stability of yield and farmers income.
Pepino (Solanum muricatum) has excellent prospects for its cultivation in areas affected by salinity.
In particular, pepino clonal hybrids are especially interesting because of vigorous growth, and a higher yield stability.
We have grown two parthenocarpic hybrids and their four parents under saline (8 dS•m-1) and non-saline (3 dS•m-1) conditions over four years.
Results show salinity has detrimental effects on yield, but the reduction is lower in hybrids (around 15%) than in their parents (around 30%). Accordingly, parthenocarpic clonal hybrids give high yields (even >90 t•ha-1), higher than those of non hybrid parents under non saline conditions, and have an improved yield stability, resulting from a lower variation in yield among years.
Furthermore, when grown under saline conditions, pepino has a higher earliness (between 9 and 16 days) and soluble solids content (about 25%) than under non saline conditions.
Despite a salinity-induced reduction in fruit weight in clonal hybrids, fruit size in these hybrids is of commercial quality.
Environmental correlations show under saline conditions, soluble solids content is not correlated with yield, fruit weight or earliness and therefore it is possible, through improved management, to increase yield and quality.
These works demonstrate that vegetable crop diversification with new crops like pepino, possessing with a high tolerance to salinity, can be of great interest for areas affected by this problem.
Authors
J. Prohens, J.J. Ruiz, F. Nuez
Keywords
new crops, hybrid clones, earliness, fruit quality, stability
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