The effects of genetic parthenocarpy on pepino (Solanum muricatum) yield and fruit quality

Yield of pepino (Solanum muricatum) is often low due to deficient pollinati on and fertilization. Genetic parthenocarpy in pepino is conferred by the d ominant gene P and circumvents the need fur successful pollination and fert ilization. Two families obtained by crossing parthenocarpic (parth.) PP par ents (P-1) and non-parthenocarpic (non-parth.)pp parents (Pz) were used to study the effects of parthenocarpy on yield and fruit quality. Comparison o f parth. and non-parth. plants from generations BC2 and F-2, which segregat e for parthenocarpy, showed that gene P induced an increase in yield betwee n 46% and 62% but did not affect the quality characters studied. The effect s of seeded/seedless fruit set on fruit quality was studied on parth. plant s of both families. Seedless fruit weighed between 15% and 30% less than se eded fruit; no differences were found for the other fruit characters. The b ehaviour of one parth. and two non-parth. clones was studied under differen t training systems. The parth. clone was always the most productive and sho wed a lower variation between training systems than non-parth. clones. Gene tic parthenocarpy allows a yield improvement without undesirable effects on fruit quality.