Variability in Physico-chemical Properties of Indian Olive (Elaeocarpus floribundus Blume.) Grown under North Bengal Conditions

A study was conducted during the fruiting season of Jalpai or Indian olive a minor fruit of West Bengal, so as to determine the physio-chemical properties of the fruits and evaluate the best accession. The fruits were harvested from distinct locations on North Bengal and were analysed for their bio-chemical properties. The results showed that all the different accessions possessed specific and distinct characters. The plant ACC-11 exhibited a very high value of TSS (7.07^OB) followed by ACC-25 with a high TSS value of 6.9^OB. ACC-24 showed high fruit weight of 20.83g compared to other accessions. ACC-30 was characterized with a highest value of total sugar (7.50%) along with high reducing sugar content (2.35%). The accession, ACC-20 not only showed high TSS value but was also distinguished with higher amount of total sugar content (6.85%). Similar trend was observed in ACC-29 where a high TSS (18.7^OB), high reducing sugar (2.17%) and total sugar content (5.77%) were recorded. It can be established that the ACC-11, ACC-20 and ACC-29 accessions yieldeda superior quality of Jalpai whereas ACC-30 produces fruit with high sugar and acid content.

Out of 32 accessions of Jalpai/Indian Olive collected from North Bengal, accessions ACC-11, ACC-20, ACC-29 and ACC-30 yielded superior quality of fruits.