Morphological characterization of commercial genotypes of Mangifera indica L. in the dry tropics of Guanacaste
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/6jrg1g19Keywords:
genetic diversity, morphology, varietal descriptor, phenotype, germplasmAbstract
Introduction. The morphological and physicochemical characterization of mango (Mangifera indica L.) determines the variability among cultivated materials. Despite its economic importance, the documentation of mango genetic resources remains limited. Objective. To characterize the morphological diversity of ten commercial mango genotypes conserved in the dry tropic of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in 2025 at the Santa Cruz Experimental Farm (FESC), University of Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Ten genotypes were evaluated using descriptors from the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). Dendrometric and foliar variables were recorded, such as trunk circumference, growth habit, crown shape, and leaf characteristics. Total weight, length, circumference, pulp, peel, and seed weight, as well as the length-to-circumference ratio and physical variables such as soluble solids content (¡Brix) in fruits and seeds, were measured. Statistical analysis included normality tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, principal component analysis, and hierarchical clustering. Results. Fruit traits showed the greatest genetic variability, with high coefficients of variation for total weight (35.01 %) and pulp weight (39.32 %). The genotypes Edwards, Pope, and Earlygold produced larger fruits, while Fair Child, Davis Haden, and M13768 produced smaller fruits. Soluble solids content ranged from 14.70 to 19.98 ¡Brix. Glenn, Yulie, and Fair Child recorded the highest values. Principal component analysis explained 85 % of the total variation, and hierarchical clustering grouped the genotypes into three groups based on fruit size and ¡Brix. Conclusions. The evaluated genotypes exhibited high morphologic diversity and represent valuable resources for the conservation and improvement of the crops in the dry tropic of Guanacaste.
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