Diversity assessment in cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) genotypes

Abstract

Twenty genotypes of Cape gooseberry were evaluated at the experimental field of Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, for its variability, their interrelationship and diversity pattern based on pomological and chemical traits during 2009 to 2011 by using multivariate analysis. All the genotypes were grouped into four different clusters. Cluster III had the maximum (10) and cluster II had the minimum (2) genotypes. The highest inter cluster distance was observed between I and III. The lowest inter cluster distance was found between the cluster I and IV. Based on cluster mean value, the cluster II was found important for fruits per plant, fruit diameter, low acidity and fruit yield per plant. Cluster I for fruit weight and fruit length. Cluster III for TSS and ascorbic acid and cluster IV for juice content. The parents could be selected accordingly for hybridization programme. Pomological and chemical traits data were also subjected to principal component analysis and the first two principal components axes accounted for 59.04% of the variance among the 20 genotypes. The greater part of variance was accounted for other traits such as fruit yield, fruit diameter, fruit length and fruit weight. The high diversity in the collection showed its great potential for improving horticultural traits in cape gooseberry.