Indian Journal of Ecology

The study was conducted on fruit and seed morphology of Pyrus pashia populations. Seven characters (fruit length, width, thickness, seed length, width, thickness and seed number) were measured from 450 trees in 15 different locations at altitude ranging from 650 to 2190 metres. The altitudes were grouped as follows: the first group (650 m, 1790 m), third group (1260 m, 1460 m, 2100 m), and the second cluster containing the remaining altitude locations. The coefficient of variation confirmed significant difference of morphological characters. The correlation between morphological characteristics of fruits and seeds and geographic features showed a negative and weak correlation with altitude and latitude. Furthermore, altitude negatively correlates with fruit length, seed number and seed length morphological traits but positively with others, emphasizing the need to consider specific parameters when selecting germplasm collection sites. Among different locations, altitude of 1220 meter showed that the seed and fruit characteristics confirm it as the best germplasm collection site.