Morphological and biochemical assessment of hybrid progenies in guava

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Instructional-cum-Research Orchard, MPKV, Rahuri, during 2022-2023 to characterize the morphological and biochemical traits of 20 hybrid guava progenies. Morphological assessment revealed variations in fruit shape, peel color, and seed traits. Sixteen progenies had a broadly rounded fruit base, and all exhibited a smooth surface. Seventeen progenies showed light yellow-green peel color (154D), while three had light green (157A). Seed weight per fruit ranged from 2.17 g to 5.23 g, and seed count varied from 208.5 to 485.5. Biochemical analysis showed total soluble solids (TSS) ranged from 11.85 to 13.86 °B, with T3 P19 recording the highest. Titratable acidity varied from 0.42% to 0.51%, with T17 P10 having the lowest. Lycopene content ranged from 0.45 to 1.52 mg/100 g, and pectin content from 0.63% to 0.79%. Variations were attributed to genetic and environmental factors. T3 P19 and T17 P10 emerged as promising genotypes for guava breeding programs.