Genetic diversity in 'Appemidi' pickle mangoes.

Mango is an important fruit crop grown extensively in India. An enormous diversity is seen in its flavour, taste and fruit form unique to particular regions of India. A large diversity for unique pickling types, called ' Appemidi ' (tender mangoes), is seen in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. With rapid deforestation in several of these areas, surveys were conducted to collect and conserve these unique types. This resulted in collection of 33 unique accessions which have been conserved in the Institute's field gene bank. On evaluation of tender fruit, accessions 'Chansi Appe', 'Dodderi Jeerige', 'Mani Bhatta Appe', 'Gorana Appe', 'Isagoor Appe', 'Malange', 'Gurumurthy Appe' and 'Kashimidi' were found to possess good traits for tender, whole-fruit pickling.