Vol. 12, Issue 4 (2023)

Author(s):
Koteshi Lamani, Shripad Bhat and S Priya Devi

Abstract:
Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) is a valuable yet underutilized tree spice that is native to the Western Ghat region of India. This crop is mainly grown on a limited scale as a rainfed crop in home gardens along the western coast. In an effort to better understand the diversity of Kokum, a comprehensive survey was conducted in Goa from 2018 to 2020. A total of 89 accessions were identified, and various morphometric characteristics were measured such as fruit weight, diameter, length, rind thickness, locules, seeds per fruit, venation in rind, and venation attached to pulp. The data was then analyzed using agglomerative hierarchical clustering (Ward's method), which revealed two distinct clusters of accessions. While cluster 1 had a higher within-cluster variance, it contained several accessions with larger fruits that could be utilized as parental materials in breeding programs. In contrast, cluster 2 had superior fruit characteristics, with several accessions exhibiting early bearing nature and thicker rinds. Given the economic importance of early bearing, such accessions are particularly valuable and can be utilized in hybridization and breeding programs to improve the profitability. Overall, this study highlights the potential of Kokum as a valuable spice crop and provides important insights into its genetic diversity and potential for improvement.