YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF SOURSOP (Annona muricata L.) GROWN FROM SEED IN JIUTEPEC, MORELOS, MEXICO

Abstract

It was evaluated the production and fruit quality of 65 18-year-old soursop trees grown from seed with the purpose of initiating selection and breeding studies. Eight vegetative and fruit variables were measured in 1988: trunk diameter, leaf area, average weight of fruit·tree, production of fruits·tree, total soluble solids and fruit juice acidity (malic acid %) at the ripen-for-consumption stage, and fruit skin color at harvest (L and Hue). These traits were evaluated using cluster (C) and canonical discriminant (CD) multivariate statistical analysis techniques. Cluster analysis resulted in three soursop tree groups; their linear characterization was carried out using CD. Groups 1 and 3 included high-producing trees with an average yield of 34.2 kg·tree-1; showing a shiny green fruit skin. Soursop trees from group 3 had the largest trunk diameter (83 cm) and the highest malic acid concentration (1.4 %) in the fruit.