Economic study on the export of cape gooseberry produced by Colombian indigenous communities in post-conflict areas to Spain and Europe

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to estimate and analyze the production and export viability of organic cape gooseberry to Spain, cultivated by indigenous communities in post-conflict areas.Design/methodology/approachBased on interviews with indigenous people who grow organic cape gooseberry in post-conflict areas and information from official platforms, the data are systematized, and a matrix of costs, expenses, productivity and income from the production and export of Cape gooseberry is calculated. Financial indicators of profitability are calculated: net profit, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). Finally, with a regression model, the trend of the behavior of the quantity and cost of Cape gooseberry exports from Colombia to Europe and Spain is estimated.FindingsThe production and export of organic cape gooseberry is profitable for indigenous communities in post-conflict areas, favored by a special price on the European market and by the use of family labor in cultivation, which improves the profitability of the product. Because of these factors, it is likely to become an alternative to partially replace illicit crops in post-conflict areas.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was carried out in conflict areas, so conducting interviews in that territory put the integrity of the researchers at risk.Originality/valueStudies known about organic cape gooseberry production reveal the benefits of the fruit for human health, but not the viability of production and export to Spain. This study demonstrates the financial viability of the production and export of cape gooseberry grown by indigenous people and therefore constitutes an alternative for substituting illicit crops.

Cytogenetic and cytological analysis of advanced genetic material of cape gooseberry Physalis peruviana for use in plant breeding

The cape gooseberry, Physalis peruviana L., is a crop that is transitioning from a semi-wild rural food source to becoming an international export commodity fruit deserving of greater attention from the scientific community, producers, policy makers and opinion makers. Despite its importance, the crop has serious technological development challenges, mainly associated with the limited supply of genetically improved materials for producers and consumers. In the present study, the level of ploidy of 100 genotypes of gooseberry from a working collection was determined by counting the number of chromosomes and chloroplasts, to include them in the breeding program. The number of chromosomes in dividing cells of root-tip meristems, as well as the number of chloroplasts per guard cell, from plants grown in vitro and ex vitro conditions were determined. Haploid with 24 chromosomes, doubled haploid-tetraploid with 48 chromosomes, aneuploid (44 and 49 chromosomes) and mixoploid genotypes with 36 to 86 chromosomes were found. The number of chloroplasts / cell guard ranged from 4-8, 6-16, 7-16 and 9-21 for the haploid, aneuploid, doubled haploid-tetraploid and mixoploid genotypes, respectively. Evidence of a high cytogenetic diversity in the evaluated genotypes.

Mixtures of Biological Control Agents and Organic Additives Improve Physiological Behavior in Cape Gooseberry Plants under Vascular Wilt Disease

This study aimed to assess the soil application of mixtures of biological control agents (BCAs) (Trichoderma virens and Bacillus velezensis) and organic additives (chitosan and burnt rice husk) on the physiological and biochemical behavior of cape gooseberry plants exposed to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph) inoculum. The treatments with inoculated and non-inoculated plants were: (i) T. virens + B. velezensis (Mix), (ii) T. virens + B. velezensis + burnt rice husk (MixRh), (iii) T. virens + B. velezensis + chitosan (MixChi), and (iv) controls (plants without any mixtures). Plants inoculated and treated with Mix or MixChi reduced the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) (57.1) and disease severity index (DSI) (2.97) compared to inoculated plants without any treatment (69.3 for AUDPC and 3.2 for DSI). Additionally, these groups of plants (Mix or MixChi) obtained greater leaf water potential (~−0.5 Mpa) and a lower MDA production (~12.5 µmol g−2 FW) than plants with Foph and without mixtures (−0.61 Mpa and 18.2 µmol g−2 FW, respectively). The results suggest that MixChi treatments may be a promising alternative for vascular wilt management in cape gooseberry crops affected by this disease.

Physiological Response of Cape Gooseberry Plants to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali, Fusaric Acid, and Water Deficit in a Hydrophonic System

Cape gooseberry production has been limited by vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph). Fusaric acid (FA) is a mycotoxin produced by many Fusarium species such as F. oxysporum formae speciales. The effects of the interaction between this mycotoxin and plants (such as cape gooseberry) under biotic stress (water deficit, WD) have been little explored. Three experiments were carried out. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (i) different Foph inoculum densities (1 × 104 and 1 × 106 conidia ml−1; experiment (1); (ii) the effect of times of exposure (0, 6, 9, and 12 h) and FA concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg L−1; experiment (2), and (iii) the interaction between Foph (1 × 104 conidia mL−1) or FA (25 mg L−1 × 9 h), and WD conditions (experiment 3) on the physiological (plant growth, leaf stomatal conductance (gs), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) and biochemical [malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline] responses of cape gooseberry seedling ecotype Colombia. The first experiment showed that Foph inoculum density of 1 × 106 conidia ml−1 caused the highest incidence of the disease (100%). In the second experiment, gs (~40.6 mmol m−2 s−1) and Fv/Fm ratio (~0.59) decreased, whereas MDA (~9.8 μmol g−1 FW) increased in plants with exposure times of 9 and 12 h and an FA concentration of 100 mg L−1 compared with plants without FA exposure or concentrations (169.8 mmol m−2 s−1, 0.8, and 7.2 μmol g−1 FW for gs, Fv/Fm ratio and MDA, respectively). In the last experiment, the interaction between Foph or FA and WD promoted a higher area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) (Foph × WD = 44.5 and FA × WD = 37) and lower gs (Foph × WD = 6.2 mmol m−2 s−1 and FA × WD = 9.5 mmol m−2 s−1) compared with plants without any interaction. This research could be considered as a new approach for the rapid scanning of responses to the effects of FA, Foph, and WD stress not only on cape gooseberry plants but also on other species from the Solanaceae family.

Nutritional composition of different cape gooseberry genotypes (Physalis peruviana L.) – a comparative study

Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) is a South American fruit with high nutrient content, pleasant taste and antioxidant properties. However, its consumption in some countries is underеvalued. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional composition of two genotypes of Cape gooseberry fruit produced in Bulgaria (CG-F and CG-P) and to compare it with imported Colombian fruits (CG-C). The samples were assayed for size, diameter, moisture, ash, titratable acidity, pH, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, natural pigments, and mineral content. Bulgarian genotypes were smaller in size than the imported Colombian fruits. The protein content (2.54-1.88 g/100 g) was relatively higher in the imported variety, compared with the locally produced fruit. Carbohydrate content (10.23-14.13 g/100 g) slightly varied between the genotypes. The sweetness of the fruit was due to the main detected sugars – sucrose, glucose and fructose. CG-F and GC-C genotypes had similar sweetness indices, and fruit taste was evaluated as sweet-sour. Pectin content did not exceed 1.85%; the cellulose content varied between 4.29% and 6.64%. Moreover, all investigated fruit had a low lipid content (below 1.00%). The total chlorophyll and carotenoids levels were the highest in the local genotype CG-P (3.62 and 22.36 µg/g). Potassium was the predominant macro-element in all genotypes; there were numerical differences in the rest of the minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn), while the heavy metals, Pb, Cd and Cr, were generally absent. Cape gooseberry fruit of Bulgarian origin was evaluated as a low-calorie nutrient, compatible with the imported Colombian fruit.