DINESH SINGH THAKURABHILASH PADHAN2024-02-012024-02-012024-01-20https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810206646ABSTRACT The present study “Survey and selection of naturally occurring wild kiwi (Actinidia callosa Lindl.) from Northeast India” aimed to assess the nature and magnitude of variability in wild kiwi vines growing in wild state in the forest of Sikkim. On the basis of pre selection survey, a total of 91 healthy and bearing vines (out of which 81 female and 10 male) were marked across wild kiwi growing areas of North Sikkim during 2021-2023. Vine vigor was observed to be weak to medium to strong to very among the female genotypes and weak to medium to strong among the male genotypes. Trunk girth and stem thickness varied between 4.00-63.50 cm and 8.60-88.55 mm, among the female genotypes of North Sikkim. The leaf blade shape varied from lanceolate to ovate among both female and male genotype. The yield and yield efficiency were ranged from 1.80-28.50 kg/vine and 0.01-5.89 kg/cm2 among the female genotypes. The physical characters like fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width (diameter), fruit size, length to width ratio, length of stalk ranged from 1.57-9.16 g, 17.02-32.68 mm, 12.72-22.83 mm, 216.49-722.15 mm2, 0.98-1.75 and 10.35-26.38 mm, respectively among the female genotypes. Range for TSS, titratable acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, nonreducing sugars, sugar acid ratio, ascorbic acid and total phenols content was 11.45-17.76 °B, 0.42- 1.26 per cent, 4.61-10.60 per cent, 3.49-8.30 per cent, 0.97-2.70 per cent, 6.49-14.73, 26.00-106.60 mg/100g, 24.27-94.88 mg GAE/100g, respectively. High heritability with high value of genetic gain was obtained for trunk girth, stem thickness, leaf area, fruit weight, total phenols and fruit yield among the female genotypes under study indicating these as simply inherited characters governed by few major genes and were less influenced by environment and therefore, selection of these characters would be more effective for cultivar improvement. Out of the total 81 female wild kiwi vines, 6 superior female genotypes for horticulturally desirable traits and 9 other female genotypes as genetic resources, whereas out of the 10 male vines, 2 superior male genotypes for superior pollinating traits were selected and field conserved for further evaluation. SignatureEnglishThesis