Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Wild Raspberry (Rubus ellipticus Smith) Native to North-Western Himalayan Region

Abstract

Nature and magnitude of genetic diversity was assessed in 170 wild raspberry genotypes based on eight quantitative characteristics, viz., fruit weight, fruit length, fruit breadth, TSS, acidity, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and Vitamin C. A survey was conducted in three north-western Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu&Kashmir and Uttarakhand. The species was found to be distributed between 760 and 1950m AMSL, 30°10'159" to 33°04'693"N and 74°44'076" to 78°25'681"E. The non-hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in 12 clusters of genotypes. The cluster pattern did not exhibit any interrelation between geographical isolation and genetic diversity. Of the 170 genotypes, 31 fell in Cluster XII, 27 in Cluster V, 19 in Cluster I, 17 in Cluster IX, 16 in Cluster VIII, 15 in Cluster XI, 13 in Cluster II, 12 in Cluster VII, 10 in Cluster III, six in Cluster X, three in Cluster VI and one genotype in Cluster IV. Genotypes falling under Clusters III, VI , VI can be used as parents in hybridization programmes for improving important traits like TSS, fruit weight and acidity respectively.