Morphological Diversity of Local Sugar Apple (

This study aimed to identify the morphological diversity of local sugar apple (Annona squamosa) germplasm and evaluate the potential of selected accessions from Madura Island, Indonesia, as prospective superior cultivars. A total of ten local sugar apple germplasm samples were collected from three regencies in Madura: Sumenep, Pamekasan, and Bangkalan. Morphological characterization was carried out using the official descriptor for Annona squamosa, encompassing both vegetative traits (such as leaf shape, stem characteristics, and tree architecture) and generative traits (including fruit size, skin texture, pulp thickness, and seed count). Descriptive analysis revealed substantial phenotypic variation among the observed germplasm. Notably, several accessions from Sumenep exhibited larger fruit size and thicker pulp, indicating potential for improved fruit quality. Meanwhile, accessions from Pamekasan demonstrated strong vegetative vigor and promising productivity traits, such as a higher number of fruits per tree. These variations highlight the wide genetic diversity present within the local sugar apple populations in Madura. The findings suggest that local sugar apple germplasm from Madura possesses valuable traits that can be utilized for future breeding and cultivar development.