Exploring morphovariations in bael (Aegle marmelos)

Abstract

Bael (Aegle marmelos Correa) an indigenous tree having wide range of genetic diversity, found growing in different parts of country except at high altitude and in cold region of the country. Most of the woody plants produce flowers and fruits on new growth or on young leafy shoots, but few plants bear fruits on main stem, primary and secondary woody branches like papaya, jackfruit and fig. This phenomenon is known as cauliflory. Such flowering and fruiting was also observed in bael germplasm established at field gene bank of CHES, Godhra. It has been noticed that bael produce flowering and fruiting on main stem, primary , secondary, tertiary, fourth and fifth branches and even on previous and current season growth of shoots. Simultaneously, it has also been also observed that the fruits may appear on first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh year growing woody stem of bael tree under semi-arid conditions of western India. Therefore bael is a culiflorous and ramiflorus tree, such type of flowering and fruiting is found in bael, but it is common in variety Goma Yashi and NB-16. Vivipary is of unusual occurrence in bael. Generally, such fruits are not good in taste. If cut exposed, the germinated seeds inside the fruit are visible very clearly. High humidity and warm weathers appear to be associated with the viviparous fruits in bael. The pollen of the bael has been found to exert a direct influence on the size, shape and styler end cavity of fruit, seed and the speed of development of the fruit and on the time of ripening of the fruit of the asexual propagated bael plant. Such influence on fruit may be due to metaxenia effect in bael. Variations in number of petals and sepals, number of leaflets and thorns were also observed.