Desempenho agronômico e qualidade físico-química de híbridos de tomateiro em cultivo rasteiro

The evaluation of cultivars within the same soil and climatic conditions allows comparison of genotypes for its yield and quality potential, seeking to establish the most adapted for each region. This study aimed to evaluate the yield and fruit quality of tomato hybrids grown without guiding, for fresh consumption and processing. The field experiment was carried out in Pinhao, Parana state, Brazil, in two years (2009/2010 and 2010/2011). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Ten tomato hybrids were used (Supera, Granadero, AP-529, AP-533, Katia, Laura, Fascinio, Tinto, Red Spring and Venus). We evaluated total and marketable yield, average fruit weight, fruit damage, presence of peduncle; and characteristics of quality: dry mass, fruit firmness, mesocarp thickness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, pH, ascorbic acid, lycopene and reducing sugars. Granadero was the hybrid with the highest total yield (112.5 t ha-1 in 2009/2010 and 78.5 t ha-1 in 2010/2011) and marketable yield (88.7 t ha-1 in 2009/2010 and 69.0 t ha-1 in 2010/2011) in two years of experiment, as well as the highest dry matter and soluble solids and the highest mesocarp thickness. Tinto and Venus also stood out in total and marketable yield and the hybrid which had the highest average fruit weight was Venus (99.9 g). For the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, Granadero, Venus, Supera, Tinto and Fascinio showed ratios above 10 in both years. Laura, Red Spring and Venus showed good values for ascorbic acid and lycopene. Overall, the best performing hybrid for traits and for both segments was Granadero, but this hybrid showed low genotypic stability. So Venus and Tinto, despite lower yields, could be recommended because they presented good quality and stability to the region.