Collecting P. philadelphica in central-southern Mexico

Research purposes

• To study the genetics of fruit size increase in tomatillo occurred under domestication. This will be carried out by association mapping

• To study the population structure in tomatillo: results are useful for association mapping

• To study the phylogeographic history of tomatillo

• To Investigate where and how cultivated forms where domesticated: history of domestication

Guerrero

OaxacaChiapas

Jalisco

Puebla

Sources of collection of germplasm

• Undisturbed Vegetation

• Disturbed vegetation: Wild forms or “tomate de milpa”

• Maize Fields: Wild forms or “tomate de milpa

• Cultivated fields: small-fruited and large-fruited varieties

• Traditional markets: Wild forms, small and large-fruited varieties

• Farmer’s stock: small and large-fruited varieties

Other Physalis species collected:

Physalis ampla

Physalis angulata

Physalis ampla

Physalis angulata

Variation in fruit size

Wild Domesticated

“Tomate de milpa” grows in maize fields called milpas (Jalisco)

Cultivated field in Puebla

Tomatillo is very abundant today in traditional markets in Mexico. It is Tomatillo is very abundant today in traditional markets in Mexico. It is the fifth most important vegetable species cultivated in this countrythe fifth most important vegetable species cultivated in this country

23579 Ha were cultivated in 1990

Women harvest the fruits (November, Puebla)

Women process seeds for next growing season (Puebla)

Fruits are stored in boxes

Ready to be sold

Diseases: Coleoptera eat the leaves

Ethnobotany of the husk tomato

. The word “tomate” comes from the Nahuatl indigenous word “Ayacach tomatl” and means berry.

. Local names: Miltomate (oax), tomate verde (Jal), tomatillo (Jalisco, Oax, Puebla), tomate de cascara (Jal, Puebla, Oax, Chiapas), tomate de hoja (Jalisco, Puebla).

. Aztecs cultivated the husk tomato with maize and used to call it “miltomate” that means “tomate de milli” or cultivated tomato with maize. It was used for cooking and medicinal purposes.

Uses:

Salsa VerdeInfusion of calix to make the dough for tamalesLeaves and fruits to treat headaches and stomachachesJuice to treat the sore throatsCooked calix to treat diabetes

Ethnobotany of the husk tomato

Sowing and Harvest Dates

Jalisco June August-SeptemberPuebla July September-OctoberOaxaca August-September October-November Chiapas September November

Sowing Harvest

BANGEV USDA New CollectionsState No. of

accessionsNo. of

collectionsites

No. ofaccessions

No. ofcollection

sites

No. ofaccessions

No. ofcollection

sitesBajaCalifornia

3 1 - - - -

Chiapas 1 1 - - 22 18Chihuahua - - 8 5 - -Colima 1 1 - - - -Guanajuato 7 6 - - - -Guerrero 7 4 - - 13 11Hidalgo 4 3 - - 2 1Jalisco 74 45 - - 13 13México 26 10 4 4 - -Michoacán 21 14 - - 3 2Morelos 9 6 - - - -Nayarit 9 7 - - - -Oaxaca 100 1 - - 39 37Puebla 125 16 - - 11 8San LuisPotosí

1 1 - - - -

Sonora 1 1 - - - -Zacatecas 2 2 - - - -Total 391 119 12 9 105 90

Number of germplasm collections available at BANGEV, USDA and the new collections

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Number of collections

Jalisco Michoacan Guerrero Hidalgo Puebla Oaxaca Chiapas

State

Number of wild and landrace collections of P. philadelphica per state

wild landrace

Main Findings

New collections mainly from under-collected states: Oaxaca and Chiapas

Great variation in fruit size exist along the range of distribution

Truly wild forms were not found. Wild forms are commonly associated with maize or grow in disturbed habitats near cultivated fields

Local preferences in fruit type: Purple fruits in Jalisco, big and green fruits in Puebla, yellow fruits in Guerrero, and small and purple fruits in Chiapas

The crop is still grown on a traditional agricultural system