Genetic Diversity, Breeding and Utilization of the Genepool of Litchi

摘要

China is the home of litchi where it has been growing in southern Kwangtung province for thousands of years. From South China, it reached India traversing Burma by 1800 AD and was introduced in Bengal from where it spread to other parts of India. Litchi (Litchi chinefisis Sonn.) is an evergreen, subtropical tree belonging to the family Sapindaceae which includes other exotic fruits like rambutan, longan and soapnut tree embracing about 125 genera and more than 1000 species of tropical and subtropicalfruits. This exotic fruit tree has gained commercial importance in Indian fruit industry. It has special significance for its fruit possessing attractive colour, pleasant flavour and wonderful quality. It is grown commercially in Bihar and parts of WestBengal and tarai region of Uttar Pradesh and parts of Punjab with 80 per cent production coming from Bihar. However, commercial cultivation is based on narrow genetic base. Source of collection, flavour of fruit pulp and fruit shape have been used to characterize the varieties leading to complexity in proper nomenclature of cultivars. Commercial varieties are largely the result of selections and, to achieve higher production, there is a need for broadening the genetic base. Although production techniques have been reviewed (Chadha 1968; Pandey and Sharma 1989; Singh and Kumar 1988), very little information is available on germplasm diversity and improvement. This paper highlights these aspects.