An under-exploited species Bankunari (Solena amplexicaulis (Lamk.)Gandhi): Its exploitation and preliminary evaluation

Abstract

Total 25 accessions of Bankunari (Solena amplexicaulis (Lamk.)Gandhi) were collected from the Ranchi (Jharkhand) and evaluated at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi (U.P.). great variation observed for various horticultural traits. Inter-nodal length of collected lines varied between 6.0-14.5 cm with the mean value of 9.48 cm. Average fruit weight varied from 6.00 to 13.00 g with mean value of 9.95g. As yield per plant some of the lines were found high yielding viz. DR-12 (400 g), DR- (444 g), DR-03 (442 g) and DR-13 (432 g). Average length of the vine was observed to be 2.86 m. it was observed that shape and size of the fruit has effect on yield, while number of fruits per plant has positive correlation with total yield. Fruit diameterranges between 2.10 to 4.30 cm. with the mean value of 3.19 cm. the most suitable genotyped collected were DR/NKV-48, DR/NKV-62, DR/NKV-65 and DR/NKV-70, which bear attractive and bigger size fruit. Samples with big tuber size (more than 180 g) showed vigorous and early sprouting as compared with that of medium (120-140 g) and small (less than 120 g) tuber size. Bankunari may be important for new agricultural system and for expanding the productive area into marginal regions where few known vegetables are in cultivation. Adequate conservation, collection and protection measures are required to safeguard the rich diversity of Bankunari.