Assessment of Physico-Biochemical Variability in Different Collections of Plum (Prunus salicina L.) cv. Santa Rosa in Mid Hills of Uttarakhand, India

Plum (Prunus salicina L.) is an economically important temperate fruit crop valued for its nutritional, medicinal, and processing qualities, with considerable diversity among cultivated and wild genotypes. Understanding the physico-biochemical variability among plum genotypes is essential for their characterization, selection, and improvement for enhanced fruit quality and productivity. A survey was conducted in Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand for evaluation of physico-chemical characteristics in twenty-nine collections of Santa Rosa plum at ICAR- Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Regional Station, Mukteshwar, Nainital, Uttarakhand. The data recorded on the basis of physico-chemical characteristics of plum among different genotype of Santa Rosa. The physical characteristics of fruits such as fruit weight (58.14 g), fruit length (4.58 cm), pulp weight (56.23 g) and specific gravity (1.34 g/cc) were found to be highest in Collection-20, while lowest fruit weight (19.93 g), fruit diameter (2.87 cm) and pulp weight (19.01 g) were found in Collection-26. The highest pulp stone ratio, T.S.S. and acidity was recorded in Collection-29 (36.42), Collection-25 (16.60 °B) and Collection-18 (2.45%) while lowest in Collection-7 (17.35), Collection-17 (10.40 °B) and Collection-2 (0.27%) respectively. The highest ascorbic acid (15.30 mg/100 g) was recorded in Collection-16, Collection-21, Collection-22 and Collection-24, while lowest in Collection-3 (3.28 mg/100 g). The highest total sugars, reducing sugar, carotene content and total anti-oxident were recorded in Collection-4 (9.52%), Collection-23 (7.94 %), Collection-3 (1224.47 µg/100 g) and Collection-25 (40.06 mMTE/L) while lowest in Collection-28 (4.85%), Collection-18 (2.38%), Collection-12 (17.49 µg/100 g) and Collection-23 (4.78 mMTE/L). Theses collections could further be utilized in the breeding programme for the improvement of crop.