GENERATION OF PINK-FLESHED GUAVAS TO DIVERSIFY COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL MEXICO

Guava production and consumption in Mexico is based on the two traditional varieties “Media China” and “China”. They were selected by farmers using the Mexican Psidium guajava germplasm available in the central semiarid area of the country. “Media China” has been asexually propagated extensively to such an extent that it covers 90% of the planted area, its fruits are medium to small, with cream-colored and sweet flesh, excellent aroma, medium to high seed content, trees are highly productive and adapted to subtropical semiarid environment as well as to off-season production practices.
Slight variations on these traits are observed in “China”. The future sustainability of the guava industry in Mexico is compromised by such a narrow genetic base.
Expansion of guava plantations to new areas and competition expected from the global trade supports the need to develop new varieties.
In this presentation we describe the progress of a breeding program aimed to introduce pink colored, large fruit, tropical guavas in the Bajío region.
Seven selections of pink color have been obtained: 23-1, 26-8, 23-5, 25-5, 21-17, 22-11 and 25-9 plus one selection of white flesh; 21-9. Pink selections bore larger fruit, 118.4 to 207.6 g, produced 6.574 to 34.7 kg per tree, sugar content ranged from 10.1 to 13.1 °Brix, and vitamin C from 83.29 to 185.75 mg/100 g and lycopene from 0.54 to 3.28 mg/100 g.
Natural harvest season extended from September to November 15. Compared to 48 g per fruit, 14oBrix, harvested from November to January in the case of “Media China”. Tree features, fruit traits and their basic chemical description is presented here.

II International Symposium on Guava and other Myrtaceae

C. Mondragón-Jacobo, L.M. Toriz-Ahumada, H. Guzman-Maldonado

Psidium guajava L., productivity, breeding, nutritional value, fruit quality, vitamin C, lycopene

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.849.39