Assessment of genetic diversity in guava

An extensive survey was made to the diversity rich areas of Gujarat during the year 2016 and 2017 to earmark the elite guava genotypes having desirable traits in terms of shape, size, pulp colour, seed content, morphological and qualitative attributes of fruits. Twenty five genotypes of seedling origin were studied for their quantitative and qualitative characters. Fruit weight ranged between 53.50-318.50 g; length 4.09-9.53 cm; width 4.30-7.90 cm; length:width ratio 0.86-1.40; seed core length 2.70-5.25 cm, pulp thickness 1.00-2.25 cm; number of seeds fruit(-1) 55.30-600.00; seed weight fruit(-1) 0.94-9.12 g; 100 seed weight 0.66-2.95 g and seed texture was found medium soft in most of the genotypes. Similarly, the chemical quality attributes also varied significantly among all the different genotypes. Among the genotypes, the total soluble solids content varied between 10.80-16.33 degrees B; acidity 0.28 to 0.70%; TSS:acidity ratio 20.37-39.82; pectin 0.88-1.42%; ascorbic acid 136.50-280.50 mg/100 g; reducing sugar 4.11-7.45%, non-reducing sugar 1.11-2.83% and total sugars 5.70-9.78% and high variability was also recorded in mineral contents of fruits which ranged from 11.48-17.48 P, 268.37370.17 K, 16.31-23.18 Ca and 12.62-24.66 mg 100 g(-1) FW. Lycopene content in pink fleshed guava genotypes ranged from 0.67-2.43 mg 100 g(-1). Results of the study revealed that different genotypes exhibited wide range of diversity with respect to quality attributes under rain-fed semiarid conditions of Gujarat.