Characterization of Selected Jackfruit Germplasm Accessions for Fruit Shape Through Morphological and Marker Based Assay

Abstract

The study involved characterization of Jackfruit accessions with obloid (round) versus ellipsoid fruit shape. The morphological characterization was based on tree, fruit and seed descriptors. The Jackfruit accessions exhibited wide range of differences. The dominant tree growth habit was erect type, with medium to low branching density and branching pattern was irregular in most of the trees. With respect to fruit rind weight, it was more than fifty to sixty per cent in accessions with obloid fruit, than ellipsoid fruits. The rind weight ranged from thirty to forty per cent of the total fruit weight. Based on fruit and flake quality characters, the accessions such as Allilugatta 5, Kumaraswamy, Manipur Parmesh and Swarna in obloid fruits and Ashoka Red, Ashoka Yellow, Byrachandra, Janagere and NSP in ellipsoid fruits have been identified for commercial purpose. Among ten RAPD primers screened, two primers showed higher PIC value (0.24) viz., OPA 4 and OPAH 4. Similarly among ten ISSR markers screened, ISSR - 868 (0.31) showed higher PIC value. These can be used effectively to probe the genetic variations among the Jackfruit accessions.