2014, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part B

author(s)
Vimarsha HS, Rajmohan K, Soni KB, Swapna Alex

abstract
Black pepper bears single pendulous spike. The yield potential of any of these improved varieties of India, bearing pendulous spikes is yet meet the half level productivity challenge posed by leading countries. Malaysia and Brazil nations have highest records of productivity. Thought India is the center of origin for black pepper species with huge diversity, we still lack the potential varieties that yield above average produce compared to global productivity levels. Finding the new diverse germplasm for exploiting and transferring the traits that associates with yield and yield related characters are of much need in present context. Spike branching is a yield associated trait. Recently, a spike branching variant is observed in Idukki district of Kerala. Present investigation is aimed at delineating parentage or the decendence of this unknown cultivar. RAPD analysis is done to find the phylogeny of this variant. The local cultivar, vellamundi depicted near relativeness (74%) as compared to wide cluster formed by famous local cultivar karimunda that diverged from this variant.