Selection of promising accessions of phalsa ( L.) based on fruit-related traits.

Phalsa or falsa ( L., family Malvaceae) is a promising, yet underutilized berry fruit of tropical regions. It contains a rich source of various bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins, tannins, phenols, and flavonoids. In the present study, morphological and pomological diversity of 48 accessions of this species was evaluated to introduce superior selections. Considerable variability was detected among the accessions studied based on the characteristics recorded. Fruit shape exhibited the highest CV (69.66%), while seed length showed the lowest CV (7.98%). Fruit color showed strong diversity, including red, red-purple, purple-cream, purple, and dark purple. Fruit weight ranged from 0.29 to1.14 g, and fruit flesh thickness varied from 1.90 to 3.91 mm. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that 82.64% of the variability observed was explained by the first 13 components. A dendrogram created using cluster analysis grouped the accessions into two major clusters. Based on the traits related to fruit quality, such as fruit weight, fruit color, fruit flesh color, and fruit taste, 14 accessions, including Talsar-6, Talsar-8, Ganjabad-31, Talsar-4, Ganjabad-18, Ganjabad-24, Talsar-5, Ganjabad-25, Ganjabad-30, Ganjabad-17, Talsar-7, Talsar-3, Talsar-2, and Talsar-1, were superior. It is recommended to use the best accessions selected in breeding programs.