Seedling biometrics and relationship with yield of physalis

Abstract

Physalis angulata has fruits rich in vitamins A and C, phosphorus, iron and antioxidant substances, while its leaves and roots have physalins, of high pharmacological potential. However, its cultivation is recent and there is a lack of technical knowledge. Characteristics of the seedling determine its vigor and the time of transplantation, which affect the performance of the crop in the field and, consequently, its yield. Therefore, the objective of this study was to know the influence of seedling height and stem diameter on the yield of P. angulata, defining the standard for transplantation and the time of permanence in the nursery. To obtain biometric characteristics, P. angulata was sown every four days and the seedlings were transplanted on April 6, 2022, at 22, 26, 30, 34 and 38 days after sowing. Descriptive analyses of the seedlings in the nursery were performed, with evaluations at 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34 and 38 days after sowing. To assess the performance of seedlings in the field, the 300 seedlings of different sizes transplanted were evaluated for survival and number of fruits per plant (< 150; 150 to < 200; 200 to < 250 and ≥ 250 fruits). For more productive plants (≥ 200 fruits), P. angulata seedlings should remain in the nursery for 38 days after sowing, when they will have at least 12.8 cm in height and 4.2 cm in stem diameter.