Variability in bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.) germplasm collected from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Survey was conducted in the districts of Etawah, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Agra, Mathura, Jhansi and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Gwalior, Datia of Madhya Pradesh during the year 2005 and 2006, A total of forty seven genotypes having desirable traits were collected and physico-chemical analysis of fruits was done. The genotypes showed considerable variation in morphological and physico-chemical traits of fruits. The fruits number per tree varied from 56-695, fruit weight 0.38-2.84kg and fruit yield per tree (75.74 - 450.08 kg/tree) among the different accessions collected. The other fruit character, viz. fruit length (7.93 - 18.60 cm), fruit circumference (28.20 - 61.67 cm), number of seeds per fruit (33.0 - 95.0), number of seed sacs per fruit (10.0- 19.00). skull weight per fruit (0.10 - 0.69 kg), skull thickness (1.25 - 3.32 mm), seed weight (3.74 - 10.48 g). pulp weight (0.16 - 1.76 kg), TSS content (28.67 - 46.33 degree Brix), acidity (0.22 - 0.56 per cent), total sugar (16.10 - 29.78 per cent), reducing sugar (6.94 - 11.15 per cent), vitamin C content (6.25 - 17.71 mg/100 g pulp), tannin content (1.68 - 4.68 per cent) and total carotenoids (0.90 - 1.72 mg/100 g pulp) among the different accessions evaluated. On the basis of overall all assessment, thirteen accessions, viz., T4, T5, T9, T10, T12, T15, T20, T22, T23, T27, T28, T34 and T42 were found most promising and might be used as plus tree for further multiplication.