Mukesh KumarVikalp2021-07-272021-07-272020https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810170881A field experiment was conducted at the experimental orchard of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, RRS, Bawal (Rewari), Haryana. Fifteen germplasm having a wide range of variability in growth, flowering, fruiting and qualitative traits were studied. Results showed that the BS 3 had maximum plant height, while Bawal Ber 9 had minimum plant height, whereas tree spread was maximum in BS 2 and minimum in Bawal Ber 12. Trunk girth was observed maximum in Bawal Ber 7 and minimum in Bawal Ber 4. Growth habit varied as erect, semi-erect and spreading, whereas leaf shape varied as oval, obovate, cordate and ovate among the germplasm. Ber germplasm could also be categorized based on leaf pubescence on lower side, viz. smooth, sparsely-tomentose and densely-tomentose. Maximum leaf blade length (8.08 cm) was recorded in BS 3, while minimum leaf length (5.44 cm) was observed in BS 2; however, maximum leaf blade width (6.44 cm) was recorded in Bawal Ber 2 and minimum leaf blade width (4.27 cm) in BS 1. Maximum leaf fresh and dry weight was observed in Bawal Ber 2. Bawal Ber 1 and BS 3 had observed less thorniness, whereas thorn shapes varied as all curved and alternate curved. Date of flowering duration, flowering duration, time taken from flowering to fruit setting, time taken from fruit setting to fruit maturity varied as (5 September to 3 November), (37-42 days), (16-21 days) and (126-155 days), respectively. Anthocyanin blush of immature fruits varied as present and absent and mature fruit colour varied as greenish yellow, yellow and green, whereas mature fruit shape varied as oval, ovate, oblong, round and oblate among the germplasm. Stone shape of these germplasm of ber varied as spindle, oblong, club and oval. The highest fruit length (4.97 cm) was found in Bawal Ber 9 and highest fruit width (3.03 cm) was found in Bawal Ber 10. Fruit weight, pulp weight, specific gravity, stone length, stone weight varied as (12.90-24.57 g), (11.55-22.36 g), (0.96-1.33), (15.67-27.33 mm), (1.29-2.21 g), respectively. Maximum stone length and stone width was observed in Bawal Ber 10, while minimum stone length and stone width was observed in Bawal Ber 1. Stone/pulp ratio, seed weight, fruit set percentage varied as (0.096-0.116), (352-590 mg), (11.99-19.92), respectively. Variation was also observed in pulp cavity at stem end and stylar end. Mature fruit pulp texture varied as soft, medium and hard. Fruit cracking was also observed in Bawal Ber 12. Peak time of harvesting varied from 5 February to 25 March and yield of different germplasm varied from 60-100 kg/plant. Variation in fruit maturity group was also observed viz. early, mid and late. Pulp TSS, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, sugar/acid ratio and TSS/acid ratio varied as (12.67-18.33 ᵒB), (58.84-97.58mg/100 g pulp), (0.19-0.24 %), (8.37-13.62 %), (3.59-5.29 %), (4.54-8.50 %), (34.87-61.05) and (52.79-96.47), respectively.EnglishThesis