Heterosis and Trait Relationships for Yield and Nutraceutical Quality in Guava ( Psidium guajava L.) Under Semi-Arid Conditions
6 affiliations
- 1ICAR-Central Horticultural Experiment Station
- 2ICAR-Central Institute for Arid Horticulture
- 3Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University
- 4Division of Fruit Crops, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research
- 5Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, Hatay Olive Research Institute Directorate
- 6Arak University
Abstract
Guava (Psidium guajava L.) improvement is constrained by a limited understanding of genetic variability and heterosis for nutritionally important traits, particularly under semi-arid tropical conditions. This study aimed to assess genetic variability, heterosis, and trait relationships for yield and key phytochemical and mineral attributes in guava. A total of 10 parental genotypes, 20 hybrid accessions, and two standard checks were evaluated under semi-arid conditions of western India. Substantial variability was observed across morphological, biochemical, and mineral traits, with fruit weight ranging from 100.38 to 523.19 g and ascorbic acid content from 103.70 to 300.87 mg/100 g. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, along with high heritability and genetic advance, indicated strong genetic control and predominance of additive gene effects for most traits. Notably, traits such as lycopene, magnesium, and fruit weight exhibited high variability and improvement potential. Heterosis analysis identified superior hybrid combinations, particularly VL × SP (H-2/20) for fruit weight and G-15 × VL (H-1) for ascorbic acid content, demonstrating the effectiveness of hybridization for enhancing both yield and nutritional quality. Multivariate analysis further revealed that yield and nutraceutical traits jointly contributed to major variation, indicating the possibility of simultaneous improvement. A Bayesian regression approach provided preliminary evidence of a positive but uncertain association between productive efficiency and total soluble solids, highlighting the need for larger datasets. The study demonstrates that heterosis can be effectively exploited to improve both productivity and nutraceutical quality in guava, providing a strong basis for the development of superior cultivars adapted to semi-arid environments.
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BibTeX
@article{mishra2026heterosis,
title = {{Heterosis and Trait Relationships for Yield and Nutraceutical Quality in Guava ( Psidium guajava L.) Under Semi-Arid Conditions}},
author = {Daya Shankar Mishra and Vikas Yadav and V.V. Apparao and Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mukesh Kumar Berwal and Jagadish Rane and Prashant Kaushik and Kanupriya Chaturvedi and Prakashbhai Ravat and Yazgan Tunç and Ali Khadivi},
journal = {International Journal of Fruit Science},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1080/15538362.2026.2677507},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2026.2677507},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Heterosis and Trait Relationships for Yield and Nutraceutical Quality in Guava ( Psidium guajava L.) Under Semi-Arid Conditions
AU - Daya Shankar Mishra
AU - Vikas Yadav
AU - V.V. Apparao
AU - Lalu Prasad Yadav
AU - Mukesh Kumar Berwal
AU - Jagadish Rane
AU - Prashant Kaushik
AU - Kanupriya Chaturvedi
AU - Prakashbhai Ravat
AU - Yazgan Tunç
AU - Ali Khadivi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/26
JO - International Journal of Fruit Science
DO - 10.1080/15538362.2026.2677507
UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2026.2677507
AB - Guava (Psidium guajava L.) improvement is constrained by a limited understanding of genetic variability and heterosis for nutritionally important traits, particularly under semi-arid tropical conditions. This study aimed to assess genetic variability, heterosis, and trait relationships for yield and key phytochemical and mineral attributes in guava. A total of 10 parental genotypes, 20 hybrid accessions, and two standard checks were evaluated under semi-arid conditions of western India. Substantial variability was observed across morphological, biochemical, and mineral traits, with fruit weight ranging from 100.38 to 523.19 g and ascorbic acid content from 103.70 to 300.87 mg/100 g. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, along with high heritability and genetic advance, indicated strong genetic control and predominance of additive gene effects for most traits. Notably, traits such as lycopene, magnesium, and fruit weight exhibited high variability and improvement potential. Heterosis analysis identified superior hybrid combinations, particularly VL × SP (H-2/20) for fruit weight and G-15 × VL (H-1) for ascorbic acid content, demonstrating the effectiveness of hybridization for enhancing both yield and nutritional quality. Multivariate analysis further revealed that yield and nutraceutical traits jointly contributed to major variation, indicating the possibility of simultaneous improvement. A Bayesian regression approach provided preliminary evidence of a positive but uncertain association between productive efficiency and total soluble solids, highlighting the need for larger datasets. The study demonstrates that heterosis can be effectively exploited to improve both productivity and nutraceutical quality in guava, providing a strong basis for the development of superior cultivars adapted to semi-arid environments.
SN - 1553-8362
SN - 1553-8621
ER -