Yield and Fruit Quality Traits of Rambutan Cultivars Grafted onto a Common Rootstock and Grown at Two Locations in Puerto Rico

Abstract

The globalization of the economy, increased ethnic diversity, and a greater demand for healthy and more diverse food products have opened a window of opportunity for the commercial production and marketing of tropical fruit, including rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum). There is a lack of formal experimentation to determine yield performance and fruit quality traits of rambutan cultivars. Eight rambutan cultivars (Benjai, Gula Batu, Jitlee, R-134, R-156Y, R-162, R-167, and Rongren) grown on an Ultisol and an Oxisol soils were evaluated for 5 years at Corozal and Isabela, PR, respectively. There was a significant difference in the number and weight of fruit per hectare between locations, averaging 415,103 fruit/ha and 13,826 kg·ha−1, respectively, at Corozal and 167,504 fruit/ha and 5149 kg·ha−1, respectively, at Isabela. At Corozal, ‘R162’ had the highest 5-year mean for number and weight of fruit per hectare, but this cultivar was not significantly different from the rest except for ‘Benjai’ and ‘R-156Y’, which had significantly lower values. At Isabela, cultivars Gula Batu and R-162 had significantly higher number of fruit per hectare but the latter was not different from ‘Benjai’. Overall, there were no differences in soluble solids concentration except for cultivars Gula Batu and R-156Y, which had significantly lower values at both locations. Cultivar R-162 had higher number and weight of fruit per hectare and high soluble solids concentration at both locations, making it suitable for planting in various agroenvironments particularly on Ultisols typical of the humid tropics.