Correlation Studies in Ber (Ziziphus mauriatiana Lamk.) in Eastern Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

The present investigation was carried out in forty genotypes of ber at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (UP) from 2021–22 to 2022–23. Phenotypic correlations were worked out among eighteen characters of Ber to know the nature of the association existing among the characters. The correlation among the quantitative characters was worked out. The length of the fruit was found to be significantly and positively correlated with fruit weight (0.617**), and the width of the fruit exhibited a significant positive correlation with fruit weight (0.853**). Leaf length showed significant positive correlations with length of fruit (0.443*) and a non-significant but positive correlation with weight of fruit and width of fruit. Leaf width showed significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.794**), length of fruit (0.563**), and leaf length (0.487*). Stone weight has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.626**) and width of fruit (0.874**), and stone length has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.440*), leaf width (0.409*), and stone weight (0.584**). Stone width has shown significant positive correlations with leaf length (0.417*), leaf width (0.701**), and stone weight (0.487*). The height of the tree has shown significant positive correlations with length of fruit (0.576**), width of fruit (0.977**), stone length (0.803**), and stone width (0.628**). The stem girth also exhibited a significant positive correlation with fruit weight (0.966**), width of fruit (0.496*), leaf length (0.650**), stone weight (0.397*), and height of the tree (0.406*). Specific gravity has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.817**). leaf length (0.641**) leaf width (0.424*), stone weight (0.455*), stone length (0.417*), and stone width (0.734**).

TSS content was also found to be significantly and positively correlated with fruit weight (0.774**), leaf length (0.645**), leaf width (0.970**), stone weight (0.539**), stone length (0.425*), stone width (0.765**), stem girth (0.855**), and specific gravity (0.547**). Total acidity content in fruit was found to be significantly and positively correlated with fruit weight (0.725**), length of fruit (0.882**), width of fruit (0.948**), leaf length (0.809**), leaf width (0.989**), stone weight (0.772**), stone length (0.605**), stone width (0.892**), height of the tree (0.792**), and specific gravity (0.702**). TSS: acid ratio has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.981**), length of fruit (0.455*), width of fruit (0.963**), leaf length (0.929**), leaf width (0.854**), stone length (0.813**), stone width (0.727**), height of the tree (0.832**), stem girth (0.453*), and specific gravity (0.728** ).Reducing sugar has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.680**), leaf width (0.821**), stone length (0.835**), stone width (0.503*), height of tree (0.747**), stem girth (0.812**), and TSS acidity ratio (0.410*). Non-reducing sugar has shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.782**), length of fruit (0.999**), width of fruit (0.499*), leaf width (0.482*), stone weight (0.662**), stone length (0.399*), stone width (0.453*), specific gravity (0.488*), and TSS (0.787**). Total sugars have shown significant positive correlations with fruit weight (0.960**). length of fruit (0.412*) leaf length (0.539**), leaf width (0.710**), stone length (0.745**), stone width (0.897**), height of the tree (0.658**), stem girth (0.841**), and acidity (0.584**). Ascorbic acid has shown significant positive correlations between length of fruit (0.938**), leaf width (0.642**), stone length (0.664**), stone width (0.685**), height of tree (0.400**), and specific gravity (0.942**).