DIVERSIDAD FENOTÍPICA Y CALIDAD DE FRUTO DE JITOMATE CRIOLLO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) DEL SURESTE DE MÉXICO

<p><strong>Background.</strong> Mexico is the center of domestication and diversity of tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.). Its crop is widely distributed in the country; therefore, it is important to know the diversity that farmers manage and conserve in Southeastern Mexico to use sustainably this plant genetic resource. <strong>Objective.</strong> To characterize the phenotypic variation and nutritional quality of landrace tomatoes from Southeastern Mexico. <strong>Methodology.</strong> From May to June 2018, 34 landrace populations of tomato were collected in different states of Southeastern Mexico: 24 from Yucatan, six from Chiapas, two from Tabasco, and two from Campeche. Phenotypic characterization of the tomato populations included 26 descriptors for plant, inflorescence, and fruit. For the evaluation of nutritional quality, the content of water, crude fiber, protein, lipids, ash, and nitrogen free extract (NFE). <strong>Results.</strong> Based on principal component analysis, the first three components explained 73.82% of the phenotypic variation in tomato populations. The first two principal components were distributed in three well-defined groups, and three populations were separated individually by distinctive characteristics mostly of the fruit descriptors (fruit shape, fruit size and number of locules of fruits). The phenotypic diversity was distributed mainly in relation to fruit shape and fruit size. Regarding the nutritional quality of the fruits, the tomato populations Y116 and Y127 had high protein content (17.71% each) and ash content (12.07% and 11.43%, respectively). These populations were collected in Yucatan and had the largest fruit size and kidney-shaped fruits. <strong>Implications.</strong> The exploratory study of the diversity and fruit nutritional quality of landrace tomatoes allowed the identification of populations with agronomic potential for a genetic improvement program of fruit yield and fruit quality of landrace tomato. <strong>Conclusions.</strong> The highest phenotypic variation among landrace tomato populations was observed in fruit descriptors (color of ripe fruits, fruit shape, fruit size, fruit weight, number of locules of fruits, and fruit yield). The tomato populations Y116, Y127, Y128, Y130 and T106 had high content of protein, ash, lipid and crude fiber.</p>