Provenance-based variation in fruit characters of teak (Tectona grandis L.F.)

The study investigates provenance-based variation in fruit characters of teak (Tectona grandis L. f.) collected from eleven provenances across the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka. Significant variability was observed among provenances for fruit traits, including fruit length, width, thickness, number of locules per fruit and number of seeds per fruit. Fruit length ranged from 11.8 mm (Naragakkanam) to 14.5 mm (Kokilbana), while fruit width and thickness varied between 12.6 to 16.3 mm and 11.3 to 13.7 mm, respectively. The highest number of locules per fruit (3.8) was recorded in Nayarupara and the highest number of seeds per fruit (2.8) in Madanaru. The number of locules per fruit exhibited the highest genotypic (34.0%) and phenotypic (31.44%) coefficients of variation, high heritability (70.48%) and the greatest genetic gain (45.43%), indicating strong additive genetic control. Significant positive correlations were recorded among fruit length, width and thickness (r = 0.88-0.89), while the number of seeds per fruit was positively associated with locule number (r = 0.68). Provenances such as Kokilbana, Nayarupara and Madanaru demonstrated superior performance for different fruit traits, suggesting their potential as promising seed sources. The observed genetic diversity among provenances highlights ample scope for selection and improvement in teak breeding programs.