Morphological variability and agronomic evaluation of maukas, Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz & Pav.) Standl. of northern Peru

Abstract

Forty accessions of mauka, chago or miso, Mirabilis expansa(Nyctaginaceae) were studied, in order to deter-mine the morphological variability, geographic distribution and agronomic performance of germplasm collected mainly in northern Peru (between 2300 to 3400 m) and maintained at Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca (7°29’45”S, 78°10’12”W, 2670 m, 14 °C of daily temperature and 670 mm of rain annually). Seventeen qualitative descriptors of high heritability were used and seven yield components for three crop years were also evaluated. The phenogram generated five groups or morphotypes (dissimilarity coefficient of 0.0), which implies 87.5% of duplicates in the collection. The morphotypes I, III and V are concentrated in the provinces of Hualgayoc, San Miguel, Chota and Cajamarca. The morphotype II is probably endemic to the La Libertad region. The only accession from the south of Peru (Puno) was an independent morphotype (IV). Six accessions: 15, 17, 24, 25, 28 (morphotype I) nad 16 (morphotype III) reached the highest yields (46 – 76 t. ha-1).