Evaluation and participatory selection of watermelon hybrids [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum and Nakai] in greenhouse

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in Puerto La Boca, Manabí province, Ecuador, in 2019, with the aim of participatory evaluation and selection of watermelon hybrids in the greenhouse. For the development of this research, two experiments were implemented: in the first experiment, a greenhouse plot was carried out under a completely randomized design with three treatments (T1: Quetzalí, T2: Champagne and T3: Vanessa) and in the second experiment, it was evaluated and selected the hybrids participatively, considering the preference criteria of the actors in the watermelon value chain (consumers). This experiment was analyzed in a completely randomized design. The response variables were: fruit weight (FW) (kg), total fruit volume (FV) (cm3), preference criteria (fruit color, meat color, flavor, sweetness, smell and sale to the market), morphological passport data and an economic estimate. The results showed that the Champagne hybrid was the best, in morphological, agronomic and performance characteristics; however, in the preference and sale criteria, consumers chose the Vanessa hybrid as the best. The profitability analysis showed that the Champagne and Vanessa cultivars were profitable when they were commercialized (B/C>1).

Keywords

• criteria
• preference
• selection
• participatory evaluation
• consumers
• value chain.