Assessment of genetic diversity in Papaya (Carica papaya) cultivers in northen plains

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2001-03 to evaluate 21 accessions of papaya comprising Indian and exotic cultivars and promising selections at experimental form of Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, to identify superior varieties using Duncan's Multiple Range Test and Principal component analysis for analyzing diversity. Ranking of the accessions on the basis of DMR test enabled to identify 2 excellent varieties 'Pusa Delicious' and 'CO 7' with good growth attributes and physico-chemical characters of the fruits. 'Pusa Delicious' recorded highest canopy spread of East-West (181.7 cm) and North-South (195.8 cm) directions with maxifnum fruit yield (59.1 kdplant) and were sweetest (10.8" brix). The gynodioecious 'CO 7' also recorded 10.8 "brix TSS. 'Ranchi 1-1' measured maximum plant height (175.0 cm) with fruit yield of 56 kgtplant but was low in TSS. Principal component analysis was performed to measure contribution of principal component for total variance and were identified as plant height, canopy spread, fruit yield/plant, average fruit weight and fruit length. The study concisely accessed the variability which would aid in future breeding strategies in papaya.