Vol. 11, Issue 1 (2022)

Author(s):
K Sundharaiya, T Thangaselvabai, G Sathish, M Mohanalakshmi and V Sivakumar

Abstract:
Avocado popularly known as butter fruit belonging to the family Lauraceae. Avocado is a great nutrient dense food that provide good amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. The fruit pulp is rich in good fat that reduce the risk of heart disease and hypertension. Avocado being a highly cross pollinated crop due to its protogyny nature, exhibits wider variability. However exploitation of these variability is very meager. A field survey was conducted at Lower Pulney Hills, Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu to identify a superior quality avocado genotypes. More than 100 avocado genotypes were identified and subjected to fruit characterization by using IBPGR descriptor. Among them sixteen avocado genotypes were selected based on fruit size, shape, colour and weight for the present experiment. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Block Design and replicated thrice. Biometrical observations on fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), peduncle length (cm), peduncle diameter (mm), pedicel length (cm) and fruit weight (g). Nutritive analysis for fat (g), dietry fibre (g), carbohydrate, carotene, vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus were taken from each genotype and subjected to diversity analysis. The results showed that among the 11 clusters, cluster 1 and 2 had the highest number of genotypes. From the results it was observed that the intra cluster values were less than inter cluster values suggested that the study material were homogenous and heterogeneous nature of the genotypes within and between the clusters, respectively. The maximum intra cluster distance was noticed with in cluster 3 and it was followed by the cluster 1 and cluster 2. The cluster mean value results showed that the cluster 11 registered the highest cluster mean values for the traits viz., fruit length, fruit diameter, peduncle length, peduncle diameter, fruit weight and fibre content. The highest contribution in the manifestation of genetic divergence was exhibited by phosphorus and it was followed by vitamin c, calcium and pedicle length.