Caracterización de la forma del fruto en una colección de berenjena mediante un programa de análisis de imagen

Laburpena

Fruit shape is a trait of great relevance in eggplant (Solanum melongena) breeding. Traditional morphological descriptors provide limited information on this complex trait. Recently, a software tool (Tomato Analyzer) for the processing of scanned images of cut tomato (S. lycopersicum) fruits has been developed. By means of Tomato Analyzer it is possible to get quantitative and objective data for a large number of fruit shape traits. Here, we have used the Tomato Analyzer software tool for the evaluation of fruit shape in a collection of 21 traditional varieties of eggplant from four varietal groups (Round, Listada de Gandía, Semi-long, and Long). For each variety 20 fruits, for which the fruit weight, length, and width and 23 fruit shape parameters have been obtained using the Tomato Analyzer, have been characterized. We have found significant differences among varieties for all traits, except for Shoulders height. In addition, considerable differences have been found among varietal groups for many parameters. Heritability values are relatively high for most traits, indicating that selection for fruit shape will be efficient. The principal components analysis (PCA) shows that varieties of each of the four varietal groups plot together in separate areas of the PCA graph. The application of discriminant analysis shows that 57.14% of the individual fruits are correctly assigned to its variety and 21.67% to its varietal group. These data suggest that for an adequate characterization of an accession, several fruits per variety should be used. The results obtained indicate that the Tomato Analyzer image software tool is of great utility for the phenotypic characterization of fruit shape in eggplant germplasm, as well as for the selection and breeding of this crop.