ISHS Acta Horticulturae 318: II International Symposium on Specialty and Exotic Vegetable Crops
EXPERIENCES WITH GROWING AND CONSUMER APPRECIATION OF PEPINO FRUITS (SOLANUM MURICATUM) IN THE NETHERLANDS |
| Author: | G.W.H. Welles |
| Abstract:
Pepino (Solanum muricatum) is commercially grown in several countries all over the world. Since yearround supply of the market is not yet feasible and the fruit has some interesting characteristics, experiments with pepinos grown under glass have been conducted in the Netherlands since 1986. Except for the first year when plants were planted in July, all experiments started in January or early February and lasted until July. In 1991, a long crop was grown, planted in early January and finished in early October. Factors which were studied in the successive years were varieties, pruning system, use of growth regulators and of bumble bees for improving fruit set and vegetative multiplication compared to use of seedlings. Samples of fruits of varieties, originating from New Zealand, were tested regularly by Dutch consumers in taste panels in 1989 and in 1991. As was stated earlier at the first Symposium in 1988, big differences in appearance and taste of fruits between and within varieties became apparent. Despite a long maturation period of the fruits (about 80–90 days), and consequently a first harvest at the end of April or beginning of May, a total yield of 9–10 kg fruits per m2 (density: 2 plants per m2) is feasible. Like with other Solanaceae grown under glass in the Netherlands, the two stem system proved to give higher yields of better quality than allowing one shoot per plant to grow. The varieties El Camino and FW21 gave high yields and fruits with good flavour, especially variety FW21, a new selection from Dr. K. Hammett in New Zealand. In 1990 and 1991, a commercially grown variety, originating from South America, yielded also about 9 kg per m2 and taste was good. However, in all varieties variation in taste between individual fruits of one variety or even one plant occurred. Heterogeneity also appeared in fruit set, even within one variety. Use of a growth regulator (4-CPA) affected fruit setting positively. The most striking was the effect of bumble bees, used in a variety test in 1991. Fruit set was improved in such a way, that fruit pruning had to be envisaged to ensure a more regular plant load. Plants originating from micropropagation proved to be much more uniform than plants originating from seeds. Since the method of micropropagation is rather simple and effective and seeds in pepino fruits are rare, future experiments are conducted only with | |
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