ISHS Acta Horticulturae 275: International Symposium on the Culture of Subtropical and Tropical Fruits and Crops
VARIABILITY IN FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF FIVE GUAVA SELECTIONS |
| Authors: | R.J. Du Preez, C.P. Welgemoed |
| Abstract:
Plantings of guava seedlings at the CSFRI, Nelspruit, produced trees with fruit which varied widely in physical and chemical characters. This variation was used as a means of selecting improved cultivars to give better stability to an industry based only on 1 cultivar viz. Fan Retief. From approximately 8000 trees evaluated, 5 selections were selected and evaluated over a 3 year period. Differences were found among seedlings in fruit size, shape, flesh thickness, flesh colour, soluble solids, acidity and ascorbic acid. With the exception of ascorbic acid all other characteristics were better in the selections than in Fan Retief. The variability observed in these fruit characteristics indicates that they would be responsive to further, more controlled selection and breeding. | |
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