Processing potential of newly introduced Amla cultivars grown in lower Himalayan Region of Himachal Pradesh

Varietal performance studies of wild and introduced variety of Amla were conducted at Regional Horticultural and Forestry Research Station, Bhota, Himachal Pradesh. The selections of amla (NA-6, NA-7 and NA-10) were made from Faizabad (UP) and introduced at Research station Bhota, Hamirpur and at farmer's field during the year 2002 to evaluate their performance. It was inferred that cultivar NA-7 and NA-10 have outperformed the traditional local strain for almost all the characteristics studied. These cultivars were having higher survival rate, shorter juvenile phase, better tree canopy and yield. The fruit of Local (wild) variety was found smaller than the introduced variety like NA-7 and NA-10. In terms of chemical characteristics, the berries of local cultivars had comparatively higher soluble solids (11.36^oB) and ascorbic acid (275.7 mg/100g) than NA-7 and NA-10 varieties. However, on the basis of antioxidant potential NA-7 had higher phenol content (21.02 g/100g) as compared to the local and NA10 cultivars. The fruits of local variety were used to prepare pickle while NA-7 and NA-10 were employed to prepare preserve.