Diversity for Tree Growing Habit in the Natural Population of Indigenous soft pear in Jammu Province, India

The present investigation entitled diversity for growth habit in the natural population of indigenous soft pear in the Jammu province was carried out in order to document the available genetic variability in pear germplasm and to select elite pear genotypes possessing superior attributes and quality traits. During the survey, data was recorded on sixty (sixty) soft pear trees growing in different areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu province. Remarkable variability was observed in seedling pear trees for different morphological, and physical characters. Similarly, variations were also reported for other characters viz., tree vigour, tree habit, leaf size, and leaf shape and leaf margins. Studies on tree habit revealed substantial variability among the seedling raised pear genotypes. In this study it was found that out of 60 selections of soft pear 33 (43%) had upright tree habit, while 19 selections (32 %) had spreading tree habit and rest of the 8 selections (25%) had dropping tree habit. In case of tree vigour out of 60 selections of soft pear none of the selection had extremely weak tree vigour, while 1 selections (2%) had weak tree vigour, 11 selections (30%) had intermediate tree vigour, 33 selections (37%) had vigorous tree vigour and rest of the 16 selections (32%) had very vigorous tree vigour. Among sixty genotypes 6 (10 %) selections having small leaf size, while 32 selections (53%) having medium leaf size and rest of the 22 selections (37%) having large leaf size. In case of leaf shape 21 (35%) selections ovate shape of leaf, 6 (10%) selections ovate oblong shape of leaf, 31(52%) selections orbicular ovate shape of leaf, 1 (2%) selections elliptic shape of leaf, and no selections had lanceolate shape of leaf. Out of 60 selections under study under study 8 (13 %) selections had entire leaf margins, none of selections had dentate leaf margins, 43 (72%) selections had serrulate leaf margins and no selections had others margins of leaves.