Assessment of Genetic Variability for Fruit Nutritional Composition in the Ex-Situ Collection of Jujube (Ziziphus spp.) Genotypes of Arid Regions of India

Jujube or ber (Ziziphus spp.) is one of the most important fruit crops India’s arid and semi-arid regions because its high adaptability to resource constraints hot (semi)arid region. a rich source minerals, vitamins dietary antioxidants zone dwellers, where it known as poor man’s apple. Given present rising trends in discovering exploiting plant-based health-promoting compounds, imperative know extent variability with respect nutritional compositions jujube germplasms. In this study, we assessed genetic for functional quality traits eighteen accessions belonging three species (Z. mauritiana, Z. rotundifolia oenoplia) from an ex-situ collection Indian two consecutive fruiting seasons (2020-21 2021-22). Results revealed significant among genotypes fruits physico-biochemical parameters. The IC 625864 identified superior accession antioxidant potential having levels total phenols (256.2 mg/100 g dry weight) (423 FRAP). Moreover, 625849 mauritiana) 625848 rotundifolia) were other containing (FRAP). Thus, while aiming simultaneous improvement phenols, 625848, can be considered valuable program. Further, phenotypic variance genotypic coupled heritability advance particularly antioxidants, ascorbic acid contents fruits, indicating them reliable biochemical markers identify productive higher amounts antioxidants. Depending on their richness particular phytonutrients, these exploited either table purpose biofortification products, using breeding program improvement.