Genetic Variability of Ker (Capparis deciduas) Germplasm in Hot Arid Region of India

Abstract

Ker (Capparis deciduas) is one of the important indigenous fruit crop locally
known as Kair, Taiti, Karil, Teent found in gochars, rangeland and wastelands tracts of
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat states in arid and semi-arid climatic regions. It
is a multipurpose small woody perennial, much-branched, leafless with attractive pink to
red veined flower during summer when temperature is very high (45°C or more). This
multipurpose plant easily survives in drought, saline and poor nutrients soil ecological
conditions. Its fruit has been used in vegetable, pickles and condiments since fruits are
rich in proteins (8.6%), vitamin C (130 mg 100 g -1 fruit pulp) carbohydrates, fiber and
minerals (Ca, and Fe). Its seeds are rich in oil (20.3%) of which 68.6% is unsaturated
fatty acid. Immature green pea size stage dried fruit is an important ingredient of a
traditional vegetable of Rajasthan known as ‘Panchkutta’. Total 15 accessions are being
maintained at Field Gene Bank of ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Jodhpur which
were evaluated in the present study based on morphological characters during 2020-
21. Genetic variation was recorded on ripened fruit weight (2.5 to 13.8 g), fruit length
(12.1 to 21.77 mm) and fruit width (10.30 to 19.7 mm). IC103393 was found promising
in term of higher fruit weight (13.8 g) with pink color flower and IC103362 was found
red veined flower color with medium fruit size (4 to 6 g) while round the year flowering
reported from IC103395