DESEMPENHO DE HÍBRIDOS DE TOMATE INDUSTRIAL EM DIFERENTES ALTITUDES GEOGRÁFICAS

Abstract

Processing tomato is strategic in the agro-industry of the Cerrado regions of Minas Gerais and Goiás; however, climatic variability across elevations and microenvironments complicates the hybrids recommendation that simultaneously deliver yield, soluble solids (°Brix), and stability. Moving beyond simple mean comparisons to approaches that capture genotype × environment interaction (G×E) is essential to reduce agronomic risk, improve industrial efficiency, and guide quality-based contracts. The objective of this study was to quantify performance and stability of four commercial hybrids (HM4890, HM5369, HM7883, and HM4228) along an elevation gradient (850–1,120m) in Minas Gerais and Goiás, and to provide practical recommendations for varietal portfolios and crop management. Trials were conducted in the 2024 season at Patos de Minas (930m), Iraí de Minas (970m), Cristalina (1,120m), and Morrinhos (850m), using a randomized complete block design with five replicates. The following variables were evaluated: yield (kg plant⁻¹), °Brix, vegetative development (crop cycle duration), and plant health (score scale from 1 to 5). Analyses included linear mixed models (genotypes as fixed effects; environments and blocks as random effects), Annicchiarico’s adaptability/stability index, and GGE Biplot. Mixed-model ANOVAs indicated no significant differences among hybrids for yield and °Brix, with a strong environmental contribution. Even so, stability metrics revealed actionable contrasts. Hybrid HM5369 combined the highest mean and stability (broad recommendation). HM4890 expressed productive potential with instability (targeted use in specific contexts), HM4228 highlighted in °Brix (suited to contracts with °Brix premiums), and HM7883 maintained intermediate performance. In the GGE Biplot, the first two principal components explained 98.97% of the variation (PC1 = 60.17% and PC2 = 38.80%). Iraí de Minas (MG) emerged as the most informative test environment, whereas Patos de Minas (MG) showed low discriminating ability. We therefore recommend using Iraí de Minas (MG) as a selection hub and the other sites for complementary validation; adopting an objective-oriented varietal portfolio (HM5369 for volume, HM4228 for °Brix, HM4890 for specific windows/fields); and implementing heat-smart management—with phenophase-regulated deficit irrigation and sensor-guided K/Ca fertigation—to raise °Brix without penalizing yield across the evaluated hybrids.