%0 Journal Article %T EVALUATING THE FRUIT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF CHERRY TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) EVALUACI車N DE LA PRODUCCI車N Y CALIDAD DEL FRUTO DEL TOMATE CEREZA Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme %A Nelson Ceballos Aguirre %A Franco Alirio Vallejo Cabrera %J Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronom赤a, Medell赤n %D 2012 %I Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medell赤n %X . The greatest genetic diversity of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in terms of fruit quality characteristics such as flavor, aroma, color, and lycopene and b-carotene contents is found in wild species. This study evaluated the agronomic characteristics and fruit quality of 30 cherry tomato introductions of the germplasm bank of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Palmira in trials conducted at the Montelindo experimental farm of the Universidad de Caldas (1010 m above sea level, average temperature 22.8 ∼C, average annual rainfall 2200 mm, 76% relative humidity). A 5 x 6 rectangular lattice experimental design was used with 30 treatments (introductions) and a commercial control (Sweet Million), 4 replicates/treatment, and 5 plants/replicate as experimental unit. The descriptors used were those suggested by the former International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, now Bioversity International. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's means test using the SAS program. In addition, principal component and cluster dendrogram analyses using the SAS Princom and Cluster procedure (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) were performed. Six principal components accounted for 80.39% of the morphological variability of the introductions evaluated. The most promising materials in terms of average fruit weight, yield per plant and per hectare, and soluble solids, vitamin C and lycopene contents were IAC1624, IAC391, IAC3652, LA2131, IAC424, IAC1621, IAC426, LA1480 and IAC1688. The broad phenotypic variability observed in the evaluated introductions favors the potential selection and breeding of tomato for traits associated with fruit production and quality. Resumen. La mayor diversidad gen谷tica del tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) en t谷rminos de caracter赤sticas de calidad del fruto como sabor, aroma, coloraci車n y contenidos de licopeno y b-caroteno se encuentra en especies silvestres. Este estudio evalu車 las caracter赤sticas agron車micas y de calidad del fruto de 30 introducciones de tomate cereza provenientes del banco de germoplasma de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia -Sede Palmira en ensayos realizados en la granja Montelindo de la Universidad de Caldas (1010 m sobre el nivel del mar; temperatura media, 22,8∼C; precipitaci車n promedio anual, 2200 mm; humedad relativa, 76%). Se us車 un dise o experimental de l芍tice rectangular 5 x 6, con 30 tratamientos (introducciones) y un testigo comercial (Sweet Million), 4 repeticiones/tratamiento y 5 plantas/repetici車n como unidad experimental. Se utilizaron descriptores sugeridos por el antiguo Instituto Internaci %K Solanum lycopersicum var %K cerasiforme %K licopeno %K variabilidad fenot赤pica %K Colombia %K Solanum lycopersicum var %K cerasiforme %K lycopene %K phenotypic variability %K Colombia %U http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0304-28472012000200004