NATIVE GENOTYPES AND ADVANCED LINES OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) AS ROOTSTOCKS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the most widely produced vegetable under protected agriculture, where one of the main challenges is to maintain or decrease the operating costs and increase production. Mexico is considered a center of domestication of the species, therefore it is the source of a wide genetic diversity. The use of rootstocks from native genotypes provides a sustainable alternative for various factors, including increased crop yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of eight rootstocks with three commercial tomato varieties. The experiment was conducted during the Spring-Summer-2024 growing season under greenhouse and hydroponics conditions, under a randomized complete block experimental design with three replications and five plants per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a combination of four native accessions and four advanced S₆ tomato lines with three commercial Saladatte-type hybrids. Eleven traits were recorded, and statistical significance was found for most of them among genotypes. The genotypes Lor-100, Lor-77, 24679, 24678 and 24677 were outstanding with El Cid; Lor-100, 24677 and 24676 were outstanding with Blindon, while Lor-100, 24678 and 24677 were outstanding with Portos. These combinations induced an average increase in yield of 15, 23 and 24%, respectively, compared to the ungrafted hybrids. The rootstocks had no negative effects on the evaluated fruit quality traits. Results indicate that the genotypes used have great potential to be used as rootstocks or as a germplasm source for rootstock improvement.