KRISHAN, KUMARJOSHI, MUNMUN2017-06-142017-06-142014http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810020076ABSTRACT The present investigations entitled “Studies on hybridization in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]” were conducted in Peach Experimental Blocks, Department of Fruit Science, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan. Two late maturing high chill cultivars namely July Elberta, Redhaven and three low chill early maturing cultivars namely TropicBeauty, Saharanpur Prabhat and Pratap (TA-170) were included in the present studies. Time and duration of flowering of different peach cultivars was recorded which demonstrated a large variation. The time gap in flowering time of high chill and low chill peach cultivars to be used in hybridization necessitated pollen viability studies. The extent of viability of fresh and stored pollen grains in low chill peach cultivars (used as pollen parents) recorded around 90 per cent in acetocarmine (2%), erythrosin B (0.04%) andunder in vitroconditions after 48 hours in 10 per cent sucrose. Amongst all the cross combinations attempted, the highest fruit set was observed in ‘July Elberta × TropicBeauty’ in 2013 (76.33%) and 2014 (69.25%), respectively and minimum fruit set was recorded in ‘Redhaven ×Pratap’ in 2013 (46.03%), whereas in 2014 minimum fruit set (41.83%) was observed in ‘Redhaven ×Saharanpur Prabhat’ cross combination. Fruit retention ranged from 24.35 per cent to 50.53per cent and 21.23 per cent to 35.93 per cent in 2013 and 2014, respectively in all the cross combinations. Highest number of hybrid seedlings (12) were obtained from ‘July Elberta x TropicBeauty’ cross combination. From present investigations it may be concluded that there is, absolute need to continue further work in respect of raising and evaluation of the resultant hybrid progeny to select promising individuals requiring moderate chill and yielding early maturing fruits.ennullThesis