Effect of Pollen Grain Sources on Success of hybrids in ‘Bedana’ Litchi

Abstract

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is evergreen fruit crop grown extensively in Bihar (31840 ha), West Bengal (9300 ha), Assam (5380 ha), Jharkhand (5270 ha), Uttarakhand (9440 ha) and Odisha (4470 ha) states of India. Recently, it is reported that litchi is also performing well in Southern parts of India (Nath et al., 2015). The litchi fruit consists of about 60% juice, 19% seed and 13% skin which varies depending upon the variety. Litchi occupies special position due to its high nutritive value with average sugar content of 11.85%, out of which more than 80% is reducing sugar and 18% sucrose, 0.8 to 0.9% protein, 0.42% pectin, 0.03% fat and a bountiful of minerals, specially calcium, phosphorus and iron with a total acidity of 0.3 to 0.6% and high vitamin C content ranging from 40.2 to 90.0 mg/100 g (Misra, 2011). Lal et al. (2018a) found wide variation in litchi fruit quality parameters i.e. TSS (17.04-19.98 B), ascorbic acid (14.62-47.50 mg 100 g -1 ), acidity (0.23-0.55%), total sugar (10.05-13.54%), reducing sugar (7.69-10.78%) and TSS/ acidity ratio (33.98-84.19). The total phenol was reported in pericarp (7.5-62.2 mg GAE g -1 ) and in seed (23.01-59.93 mg GAE g -1 ), and total