morphological biochemical and molecular characterization of wild pomegranate punica granatum l Genotypes of jammu region

Abstract

The present investigation entitled Morphological, Biochemical and Molecular characterization of wild pomegranate (Punicagranatum L.)genotypesof Jammu region was undertaken during 2020-21 and 2021-22 in different districts of Jammu region (Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur) to assess the morphological, biochemical and variability of wild pomegranate genotypes. On the basis of study conducted, the morphological and biochemical traits were recorded as per UPOV descriptor 2011. Results of the study showed that there was a marked variation in seventy wild pomegranate genotypes where JWPR (Sel-5 and Sel-36) showed the best result among all the collected genotypes.Maximum fruit weight(110.01and111.51g), fruit length(56.53 and 57.54mm), fruit width(55.30 and 55.91mm), no of arils (394 and 452), 100 aril fresh weight (15.13 and 16.18g), aril width (6.44 and 7.27mm), aril length(8.75 and 9.14mm) and highest fruit yield (7.02 and 6.27 kg/bush) were recorded in wild pomegranate genotypes JWPR (Sel-5) and JWPP (Sel-36) respectively. Similarly biochemical characteristics were also recorded maximum in JWPR (Sel-5 and Sel- 36). Maximum TSS(17.90 and 17.800Brix, titratable acidity (6.84 and 6.91%)total sugars (14.27 and 14.16%), reducing sugar(9.66 and 9.72%), non reducing sugar (4.50 and 4.55%) and ascorbic acid(23.19 and 23.44mg/100g) respectively. newlineThe molecular characterization of seventy wild pomegranate genotypes was carried out with 25 microsatellite markers. Major allele frequency ranged fromHvSSRT_823 (0.606) and HvSSRT_45 (0.393) with an average of 0.479, polymorphic information content ranged fromPGCT093A(0.595) and HvSSRT_104(0.14) with an average of0.482. Dendrogram was generated using SSR data to determine pairwise distance between all possible pairs of wild genotypes, two main clusters were obtained with sub-clusters.However, morphological and biochemical traits alone cannot be regarded ascritical indicators to know genetic diversity and need to backed with DNA markers for efficient and reliable genetic diversity stu