Uruguayan feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) cultivars

Abstract

The feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) is a fruit tree undergoing domestication, and in Uruguay, it has been the subject of breeding efforts for just over two decades. During this time, four cultivars were registered at Instituto Nacional de Semillas (INASE): INIA-Fagro Isleña, INIA-Fagro Cerrillana, INIA-Fagro Artillera, and INIA-Fagro Armonía, progressively distributed, with complementary harvest windows, allowing for fresh fruit from early March to late May. Regarding fruit quality, INIA-Fagro Isleña produces fruits weighing 30 to 50 g, with total soluble solids (TSS) between 11 and 15 Brix (°Bx); INIA-Fagro Cerrillana produces fruits of 25 to 50 g, with TSS between 10 and 13.5 °Bx; INIA-Fagro Artillera, 35 to 60 g and 10 to 13 °Bx, and INIA-Fagro Armonía stands out with larger fruits ranging from 45 to 75 g, and 10 to 14 °Bx. The four cultivars showed rooting percentages (from semi-hardwood cuttings) ranging from 37% to 49%. Differences in fruit shape, skin thickness, and color constitute complementary criteria for cultivar selection. Despite currently having these four good-quality cultivars on the market, it is essential to continue genetic improvement and refine agronomic management practices, aiming to extend the harvest window, stabilize production, and improve the characteristics of feijoa fruit commercialized in Uruguay.