Una mirada general al tomate de cáscara (Physalis)

ABSTRACT
The genus Physalis is characteristic for its globular calyx enveloping the fruit throughout ripening. In Mexico the husk tomato is the fifth in importance among the vegetables of economic importance, according to the cultivated area. This country is the diversity center of Physalis due to the highest species richness found in it. There are specific taxonomic controversies within Physalis, and nevertheless the increasing in the studies focused in the genus, those controversies persist. Molecular studies are valuable tools for contributing to clarify these taxonomic aspects and at present that kind of studies is generating proposals to solve those disputes. The determination of variability and the interest of finding correlations between molecular markers and phenotypic characteristics in several cultivated plants are increasing because of they may be useful indicators for different applications. For Physalis, that is necessary to develop production methods and to use the wild species, many of them having high nutritional value and synthesizing many substances with medicinal importance, like flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants; withanolides, which have anticancer potential; and other substances of interest to daily consumption like folate and vitamins. That is what makes Physalis an interesting genus for Mexico.