Seed Source Variation on Fruit and Seed Traits of Zanthoxylum rhetsa- a Medicinal Tree under High Exploitation in Central Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Zanthoxylum rhetsa is one of the important medicinal and spice trees which is being highly exploited in Central Western Ghats of India. It is a very hardy species with lot of variation. Even though it is one of the important Non Wood Forest Product (NWFP) of Western Ghats of Karnataka, India, no or little attention is given to this species as regard to its domestication, conservation and utilization of genetic diversity. Hence there is a need to know the seed source variation for fruit and seed traits, as it is basis for further studies on growth performance of the species and other related work. This research work has been taken into consideration based on the species economic importance in terms of its medicinal uses in the present context of global health care and other uses. Six different seed sources were selected for the study, based on the extensive survey in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. It was noticed from the survey that fruiting season varied in different localities. Based on seed availability at different time, seeds were collected to carry out the present investigation. Study revealed that the fruit length, fruit width, fruit test weight were 6.09 mm, 4.19 mm and 21.29 g respectively in Sirsi seed source which was found highest. Seed length, seed width and test weight and seed volume were 2.84 mm, 1.75 mm and 10.40 g, 0.037 mm³ respectively in Sirsi seed source which was found to be superior from rest of the seed sources. However Kumta seed source recorded the least for both fruit and seed parameters. Based on the result further studies on germination and growth performance from different seed sources could be studied. Further, plus trees for seed collection and multiplication could be identified.