Estudio de la fenología floral y reproductiva del mortiño (Vaccinium floribundium kunth) para aprovechamiento del fruto en el Ecuador

The mortino (Vaccinium floribundium Kunth) is an Andean fruit that extends along the mountain range of Ecuador. The fruit contains an important antioxidant power as well as having a high nutritional potential. The present study had as purpose to know the floral and reproductive phenology of the mortino, for these plants were selected in the skirts of the Sincholagua to 3542 m.s.n.m. of altitude, 8.8 Centograde degree average temperature and 97.5 percent relative humidity in the canton Mejia of the province of Pichincha. For the reproductive phenology, the stages from dormant bud to the physiological maturity of the fruit were analyzed. The descriptive statistics was used for the analysis of the data, and the calculations were made in Excel. It was determined that the flowers are hermaphroditic and have selffertilization (66.7 percent) and cross-fertilization (46.7 percent). There are 6 phenological phases (dormant bud, sprouted bud, flowering, fertilization, fruit development, physiological maturity) that fluctuated between 21 and 26 weeks. Three insects were identified (Eudejeania aldrichi, Stenotabanus sp and Bombussp) that visit the flowers of the mortino, which are possibly responsible for crosspollination. It was determined that the pollen grain has an apolcope shape and a tricolored opening with a size of 172 μm. The germination percentage was 44.18 percent. The fruit of the mortino is of blue-purple color covered with a waxy layer, with a weight of 0,47 g with an average of 79 seeds. The chemical analysis of the fruits of the mortino had a pH of 3, 1.3 percent of acidity and 16.93 of total soluble solids.