Agromorphological Characterization and Genetic Variability of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché Germplasm from the Amazonas Region, Northern Peru

The figleaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché) is an underutilized horticultural resource of food and cultural importance in the Andes, yet its phenotypic diversity remains poorly documented. This study characterized 16 accessions collected in the Amazonas region of Peru and examined trait relationships relevant to conservation and utilization. Phenological variables, quantitative fruit characteristics, and yield components were estimated. Genotypic variance, single-environment broad-sense heritability (H2), and genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM) were calculated. Significant differences among accessions were detected for most evaluated traits. Days to germination ranged from 6 to 8 days, while physiological fruit maturity was reached between 120 and 150 days. Fruit mass ranged from 1.81 kg to 7.62 kg, and fruit length from 14.44 cm to 46.56 cm. Fruit mass (H2 = 76.92%; GAM = 68.18%) and fruit length (H2 = 87.94%; GAM = 63.67%) exhibited high broad-sense heritability and genetic advance under the evaluated conditions, indicating that these traits may be informative for preliminary phenotypic selection. However, their stability and response to selection require validation across multiple environments and cropping seasons. In conclusion, significant agromorphological and genetic variability exists in the C. ficifolia germplasm from the Amazonas Region. However, as this study corresponds to an experiment conducted at a single site and across a single cropping season, these results require further validation across multiple environments and seasons before consolidating selections for breeding programs.