Selection of Cape Gooseberry Based on Physical Variables of Their Fruit

Abstract

Path coefficient analysis has been widely used to understand production better and determine the relationships between fruit and their constituents. This study evaluated the correlations between mass and other physical characteristics, and contributes to selecting cape gooseberry fruit. The attributes assessed were the total mass of the cape gooseberry fruit (TM) (fruit mass with husk), fruit mass (FM) (fruit mass without husk), husk mass (HM), husk length (HL), the largest transverse husk diameter (LD), fruit diameter (FD), and color of the husk (CH). Using path analysis, it was possible to verify directly that, among the physical components of the study, TM and FD have a direct and positive influence on FM. Fruit mass had a direct and negative correlation with HM, indicating that fruit with the heaviest husk (and green color) have not yet reached full maturation, nor reached their greatest mass. This result suggests that TM is strongly indirectly influenced by the HL, husk diameter, HM, and FD.