Economic profitability analysis of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Hornem.) under different silicon dioxide concentrations

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different doses of foliar and soil silicon dioxide fertilization on the economic profitability of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Hornem.) cv. 'Querétaro' cultivation under plastic paddings and macro-tunnel conditions. Design/methodology/approach: Ten treatments were evaluated at different concentrations of silicon dioxide fertilization on soil and foliar application: T1: Control treatment (T), T2: Fertilization with silicon dioxide 20, 40, 60 g on soil and 100, 150, and 200 ppm foliar (S20/100F), T3: S20/150F, T4: S20/200F, T5: S40/100F, T6: S40/150F, T7: S40/200F, T8: S60/100F, T9: S60/150F and T10: S60/200, distributed in random blocks. Economic profitability indicators such as Benefit/Cost ratio (B/C), Net Present Value (NPV), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) were determined. Results: The research established that the S60/150F treatment was the one with the highest economic profitability because it promoted the highest production per hectare, which was reflected in the NPV (MX$ 336,932.97 pesos), the IRR (77.3 %), and a B/C of MX$ 1.16 pesos. Also, treatments S40/200F and S60/100F (where SiO2 was applied) reported positive cash flow, unlike the T. Limitations of the study/implications: With all research facilities closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no evidence related to the contribution of foliar and soil silicon bioassay has been verified. Findings/conclusions: Using SiO2 leads to a financial appreciable rebound of vital importance to be included in economic studies to facilitate the efficient management of the available capital to establish a crop whose field productivity is profitable for the producers.

Assessment of Stirred Probiotic Yogurt fortified with Husk Tomato (Physalis peruviana, L) Juice as a Healthy Dairy Product

Consumers are increasingly aware of the consumption of natural health products. Husk Tomato fruit is a remarkable fruit in a modern survey. Therefore, this study aims to produce novel stirred probiotic yogurt (SPY) fortified with Husk Tomato Juice (HTJ). Chemical, microbiological, toxins, color, and viscosity characteristics for the new product were evaluated. Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, amino acid profile, and the effect of HTJ or SPY on the growth of some pathogens were assessed. Vitamin A and β-carotene for fresh stirred probiotic yogurt were also analyzed. On the other side, the control sample (with no fortification) and four treatments of SPY were produced with different ratios of Husk Tomato Juice T1, T2, T3, and T4 with (20, 30, 40, and 50% V/V) respectively. Apparent viscosity, color parameters, and pH values of fermented beverage samples were estimated. Data revealed that the juice had a considerable vitamin C ratio, representing about 32-38% of the recommended daily use. On the same line, Lysine, Leucine, Valine, Threonine, Tryptophan, and Isoleucine were the main essential amino acids in the juice. Also, the HTJ possessed diverse degrees of inhibition opposite to grow of some pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The counts of starter cultures of yogurt and Lb. casei as the probiotic strain increased during the storage period until 10 days, especially in T1, T2, and T3. The viable counts of pathogenic strains in the contaminated treatments decreased during storage periods compared with control. Furthermore, treatment samples had significantly lower L values and higher a & b values due to the orange color of the high ratio of β-carotene in HTJ compared to control samples. A healthy probiotic fruity beverage had been successfully produced. It has appropriate amounts of important vitamins.

Physicochemical characterization and antioxidant activity of wild Physalis spp. genotypes

The center of origin and domestication of Physalis spp. is Mexico, where 70 wild species and only two cultivated species are found. Fruits of wild husk tomato are collected by farmers for home consumption or for sale in local markets, where prices are higher than for the cultivated husk tomato. Despite their economic and nutritional importance, they have been little studied. The objective of this study was to determine phytochemical properties, nutritional value, total contents of phenol, anthocyanins and flavonoids, and the antioxidant capacity of the fruits of five wild genotypes of Physalis spp (Quialana, Jalieza, Vigallo, Ejutla and Miahuatlán), collected in the corn harvest season in five localities of Oaxaca, Mexico. The genotypes Quialana and Miahuatlán had the best physical characteristics, but their antioxidant capacity was lower than that of the genotypes Jalieza, Vigallo and Ejutla, which did not exhibit physical characteristics that are attractive for consumers. Moreover, the high contents of phenols and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant capacity of all the wild genotypes studied, showed that Physalis spp. is an option for more frequent inclusion in the population’s diet. However, because of food globalization issues, production, commercialization and consumption of these wild species is disappearing.

Español Plastic colored paddings and its effect on the foliar micromorphology of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot.)

Objective: To assess the effect of colored plastic paddings on the foliar micromorphology of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot.). Design / methodology / approach: A completely randomized statistical model was used with five treatments (black, white, blue, red and green paddings) with three repetitions each, 95% reliability and Tukey's mean test (P ? 0.05). To quantify the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) a portable GreenSeeker® sensor was used. To measurement of total soluble solids a Atago® Digital refractometer, the density and stomatal index, length and width of stomata were determined with a Carl Zeiss microscope with an integrated camera and the AxionVisionRel measurement software 4.8. Results: The results show no significant differences in the NDVI and total soluble solids. The micromorphological variables of adaxial stomatal density and adaxial stomatal index were superior in the blue paddings and exceeded black paddings in 95 % and 50 % respectively. The rest of the micromorphological variables were statistically similar, the yield per plant was statistically similar in the black, white, red and green, while blue paddings yield less. Study limitations / implications: blue paddings improve micromorphological characteristics, but not the yield of husk tomato crops. Findings / conclusions: Some of the foliar micromorphological characteristics of the husk tomato crop are modified by colored plastic paddings; however, the improvement in these variables does not necessarily improve the crop yield, probably due to the absorbed and reflected radiation by the colored plastic paddings.