An Evaluation of Jamun (Syzygium cuminii) Germplasm for Conservation of Elite Ones

Jamun has higher nutraceutical properties and has been proved as a upcoming fruit crop in the country. To harness the genetic variability in the existing seedling population being a cross pollinated fruit crop, the survey of seedlings growing as wind break at Government Garden, Attari, were evaluated for various physico-chemicals attributes. Significant variation was observed in the tree characters i.e., trunk girth, tree height, canopy volume in different genotypes. The highest tree height was measured in Selection-III and minimum in Selection-II. Maximum fruit weight (11.0 g) was registered in Selection-I and minimum in Desi seedlings. Wide variability for fruit length (1.83 to 3.53 cm), fruit breadth (1.75 to 2.53 cm), pulp stone ratio (2.41 in Desi seedlings) to maximum (3.18) in Selection-II was observed. Maximum TSS/acid ratio, total sugar and reducing sugar to the tune of 50.8 was recorded in Selection I and minimum (26.2) in Selection III. Selection I and ‘Desi’ had high. Though the fruits of ‘Desi’ were smaller as compared to fruits of Selection I, II and III but had good eating quality because of high in TSS content. Titratable acidity was found to be at the highest level of 0.80% in ‘Desi’ ,while it was found lowest (0.32 per cent) in Selection-I. Selection-I registered the highest TSS/acid ratio to the level of 50.82 followed by Selection-II having TSS/acid ratio of 44.93. Selection-III recorded the lowest TSS/acid ratio 26.18 and the highest total sugars content (21.08 per cent) was in ‘Desi’ among all the selections. The lowest total sugar content (11.06 per cent) was found in Selection-III. ‘Desi’ recorded the highest reducing sugars content of 14.48 per cent while Selection-III recorded the lowest reducing sugar content i.e., 7.61 per cent