RESUMO Em uma coleção de pimentas mexicana costeira nativa, conservada por produtores indígenas dos municípios de Santa Maria Tonameca e Santo Domingo de Morelos, México, descreveu e classificou-se a variação agromorfológica, a partir de uma coleção de 46 populações caracterizadas em casa de vegetação, em delineamento de blocos completos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram avaliados os dias do transplante até a primeira floração, caracteres da planta, fruto e rendimento por planta. Na análise de variância foram determinadas as diferenças significativas entre populações em todos caracteres avaliados, exceto na altura da planta aos 120 dias após o transplante. Na análise dos componentes principais determinamos que as variáveis de maior valor descritivo foram peso fresco e seco de 15 frutos, peso médio do fruto, número de frutos por planta e rendimento por planta. Também se observaram dois padrões gerais de variabilidade agromorfológica; um composto por populações altamente variáveis, originárias das comunidades de La Oscurana, Villa Unión e San Juanito, e outro menos disperso de Las Pilas, que indica divergência entre as comunidades de origem. Ambos padrões se refletiram na análise de conglomerados mediante a integração de cinco grupos fenotípicos estatisticamente divergentes.Se observou uma relação inversa entre número de frutos por planta e peso médio de frutos. Adicionalmente, se identificou um potencial agronômico em dez populações de pimenta costeira, com rendimentos por planta superiores a 500 g e mais de 100 frutos por planta com uma densidade média maior que 3,9 g por fruto.

ABSTRACT In a collection of costeño peppers conserved by indigenous producers from the municipalities of Santa Maria Tonameca and Santo Domingo de Morelos, Oaxaca, Mexico, a description and classification of agromorphological variation was undertaken by characterization of 46 populations in a greenhouse distributed under complete randomized block design with three replicates. Days to first flowering, plant and fruit traits and yield per plant were evaluated. Significant differences were detected for all traits except for plant height at 120 days after planting. In a principal component analysis, the variables of green and dry weight of 15 fruits, average fruit weight, number of fruits and yield per plant were the characteristics with major descriptive value for the total phenotypic variance. In addition, two patterns of agromorphological variation were determined; for productivity, one was highly variable and integrated with pepper populations from La Oscurana, Villa Unión and San Juanito communities, and the other was integrated with less variable populations, such as those from Las Pilas. These phenotypic patterns were confirmed in a cluster analysis, where five phenotypic groups were statistically significantly different. Complementarily, an inverse relationship was determined between number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight in ten populations that presented high agronomic potential; a yield greater than 500 g per plant, more than 100 fruits per plant and an average weight greater than 3.9 g per fruit were detected.

ResumenEl objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la variabilidad agromorfológica de poblacionales oaxaqueñas de chile tusta (Capsicum annuum L). Se emplearon 31 poblaciones o colectas originarias de los municipios de Santa María Tonameca y Santo Domingo de Morelos, Oaxaca, México. Se describió y clasificó la variación fenotípica; para ello, las muestras se sembraron, trasplantaron y caracterizaron bajo invernadero en Madgalena Apasco, Oaxaca, durante el periodo noviembre 2012 a enero 2013. El trasplante se hizo bajo una distribución de bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre medias de poblaciones, en altura de planta a 60 y 120 días después del trasplante, diámetro del tallo, días a floración, número de frutos, largo y ancho del fruto. Respecto a los patrones de diversidad fenotípica, se determinaron diferencias entre las poblaciones de Santa María Tonameca y Santo Domingo de Morelos. Estas últimas fueron altamente variables en los caracteres evaluados. Se determinaron tres grupos de diversidad fenotípica, en planta, fruto y los asociados al rendimiento por planta. La mayor pérdida de peso (hasta 13,3 g), durante 30 días de almacenamiento a temperatura ambiente, se cuantificó en frutos de mayor tamaño y densidad, e indica un alto contenido de agua.

AbstractThe objective of this research was to describe agromorphological variability of Oaxaca populations of tusta pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). 31 accessions or sample collections were taken from Santa María Tonameca and Santo Domingo de Morelos, Oaxaca, Mexico. The phenotypic variation was described and classified; hence, pepper samples were sown, transplanted, and characterized at greenhouse conditions in Madgalena Apasco, Oaxaca, from November 2012 to January 2013. The transplantation was done under a randomized complete block design with three replications. Significant differences between means of tusta pepper populations were determined for plant height at 60 and 120 days after transplantation, stem diameter, days to flowering, number of fruits, and fruit length and width. On the other hand, in phenotypic diversity patterns, important differences were determined between the populations from Santa María Tonameca and Santo Domingo de Morelos The latter were highly variable in the characters evaluated. Three phenotypic diversity groups were determined in traits associated to plant, fruit, and yield per plant. The highest weight loss (up to 13.3 g) during 30 days of storage at room temperature was quantified for the fruits of major size and density, indicating high water content.