Influencia de la altitud en el contenido de ácido ascórbico de Solanum betaceum Cav. injerto en Nicotiana glauca.

Abstract

he tree tomato is an Andean cultivar of importance in Ecuadorian production, which generates income for small farmers. However, little is known about the phytochemical composition and quality of grafted tree tomato at different altitudes and can be affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors of the cultivar. The present study allowed evaluating the influence of altitude on the content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) of Solanum betaceum Cav. graft in Nicotiana glauca. For which, samples of fruits of the ‘giant orange’ and ‘giant purple’ ecotype (control and graft in Nicotiana glauca) were collected at different intervals of altitudes. The commercial quality of the fresh fruit was determined and quantified in lyophilized material of the peel, pulp and placenta separately, the vitamin C content by liquid chromatography (RRLC) coupled to a DAD-UV-VIS detector and a C18 column. The results indicated that altitude is a factor that influences size, weight, % ash, soluble solids, % total titratable acidity and vitamin C content. In addition, the placenta of the ‘giant orange’ ecotype in control reported a higher content of vitamin C (186.8 mg / 100 g PS) at an altitude range between 2010 at 2250 meters above sea level, while the peel in some cases did not show the presence of vitamin C. As such, it is concluded that the altitude, the ecotype, and the rootstock influence the commercial quality and content of vitamin C in tree tomato fruits.