Capsicum annuum L.: Phenological and Yield Performance of Native and Commercial Genotypes Under Open-Field and Low-Technology Greenhouse Hydroponic Systems

The performance of native landraces of Capsicum annuum L. under contrasting production systems remains poorly understood, limiting their integration into optimized production schemes. This study evaluated the phenological and productive responses of five genotypes (four native landraces and one commercial cultivar) under two sys-tems representing locally relevant production conditions: open-field (OF) and a sub-strate-based hydroponic system under low-technology, passively ventilated tunnel-type greenhouse conditions (GH), in order to identify differences in genotype performance across environments during the 2023 growing season in Puebla, Mexico. Agroclimatic and agronomic variables were analyzed using independent ANOVA by system and canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The GH system exhibited restrictive microclimatic conditions, with maximum temperatures exceeding 48 °C and photo-synthetically active radiation reduced by approximately 53% compared to OF conditions. Environmental conditions were not standardized between systems; therefore, the results reflect the contrasting microclimates of locally relevant production systems and provide a context-specific assessment of genotype performance. These conditions were associated with reduced yield across genotypes under GH, whereas higher productivity levels were observed under OF conditions. The commercial cultivar Serrano Tampico achieved the highest yield (1.118 kg per plant under OF), while Mixteco Largo and Cola de Ratón produced the highest number of fruits. The CCA revealed a strong genotype × environment (G×E) interaction, with native landraces showing greater adaptation to open-field conditions. Overall, the results provide evidence of the sensitivity of these materials to the production environment and underscore the need for system-specific selection and management strategies.