Specialty pumpkins, such as the tropical pumpkin or “calabaza” (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne), are widely grown and consumed in Puerto Rico, ranking second among the most important vegetables on the island. This crop is also increasingly becoming a lucrative emerging market in the United States, particularly in communities with a high density of households of Latino/Hispanic and Caribbean heritage. Yield, fruit quality, and disease resistance of 21 genotypes were evaluated under conventional and certified organic management conditions in Puerto Rico at the University of Puerto Rico Lajas Research Station from January to May 2022, and from November 2022 to March 2023. The genotypes were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The number of marketable fruits, total fruits per plot, yield (kg ha-1), and incidence of whiteflies, among other variables, were recorded. Overall, the number of fruits per plot and marketable fruits ranged from 2 and 12, while the yield reached 9,229 kg ha-1 to 65,707 kg ha-1. Under organic certified management, the highest yield was obtained by UFTP42 with 46,567 kg ha-1, while UFTP4 obtained the lowest yield with 5,110 kg ha-1. Under conventional conditions, the UFTP34, UFTP80, and ‘Soler’ lines obtained the highest performance, with 66,677; 63,974, and 75,971 kg ha-1, respectively. On the other hand, the genotypes UFTP4, UFTP10, UFTP22, and UFTP46 obtained lower yields with 9,229; 10,881; 17,635, and 15,408 kg ha-1, respectively. Verde Luz, showed the lowest incidence of whiteflies (< 10%), under both management conditions, while the remaining genotypes showed no significantdifferences between them. In summary, UFTP34, UFTP44, UFTP45, and UFTP80 could be released as prospective cultivars for the southern area of Puerto Rico and could be used as parents for breeding purposes under organic and conventional cropping systems.
