Variation of pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) in Nepal and participatory selection of strains for further improvement

Paudyal, Krishna P. and Haq, Nazmul (2008) Variation of pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) in Nepal and participatory selection of strains for further improvement. Agroforestry Systems, 72 (3), 195-204. (doi:10.1007/s10457-007-9088-z).

Abstract

A farmers’ participatory survey was carried out in the mid-hill and plain (Terai) regions of Nepal to assess the diversity, consumers’ preference for fruit quality and for thus the selection of potential elite clones of pummelo. A wide variation of morphological characters of tree, fruit, leaf and seed was identified from farmers’ information and laboratory analysis. The multivariate analysis of the data produced 5 descrete groups, which were represented by plants from different agro-ecological regions and soil types. The groups differed significantly in yield efficiency, fruit shape and size, pulp, juice, total soluble solids and acid content, seed number, leaf shape and size. The fruit characters, such as yield, size and acid content were found to be affected by environment and genotypes whereas other characters such as fruit shape, pulp colour, seed number, bitterness, leaf shape and petiole wing shape were not affected by environment. Farmers were more sensitive to quality than to yield. Six elite types were identified from farmers’ participatory survey and laboratory analysis and among them farmers considered four to be the best types for their respective localities.
Although, pummelo cultivation in Nepal was observed from 65 m to 1340 m altitude the present study suggests that the plain area (below 300 m) is the most suitable for quality pummelo production.

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