Characterization of Fig (Ficus carica L.) Germplasm in Central Kashmir of North Western Himalayan Region

The present study was focused on collecting, evaluating and characterization of fig germplasm, aiming for the establishment of long term in-situ and ex-situ conservation. Morphological and chemical characters were evaluated for 13 individual fig accessions grown in two districts of Central Kashmir. The results revealed that fig accessions have a vast diversity in terms of morphological (metric and non-metric) and chemical characters. Intermediate and high plant vigour, open to erect growth habit and dense and intermediate relative degree of branching was observed in the studied accessions. Maximum yield (kg/plant) along with maximum yield efficiency (kg/cm²) was recorded in ML-G-17 accession closely followed by JN-S-09 (32.82 kg/plant) for yield. Fruit weight varied from 24.40 (B-G-07) to 74.25g (DH-S-06) while width/length ratio ranged between 0.887 (CHS-03) and 1.150 (YL-G-01). Total soluble solids varied from 9.20 to 20.20 per cent and total sugars from 6.70 to 16.60 per cent in B-G-14 and AH-S-06, respectively. Oblate, oblong and globose fruit shape was recorded. External fruit colour varied from yellowish green to dark purple while internal colour of pulp ranges between light pink and dark red. On the basis of the studied parameters ML-G-17, AH-S-06 and DH-S-04 accessions are found to be promising. These valuable and superior fig accessions have potential for raising the new plants through propagation techniques, deserve further characterization and conserve under in-situ conservation for future breeding programmes.