Selection Indices for Improved Traits in Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.)

The study based on the characterization of natural variability of rambutan existing in the homesteads of entire Kerala state was taken up with the prime objective of comparing the Kerala collections of rambutan and rating it with the existing quality standards and popular varieties in order to develop a selection criteria. The characterization of over 100 variable types of rambutan revealed that Kerala collections of rambutan are not only comparable with the prevailing standards/varieties, but even excelled over them in most important fruit characters. Clustering of rambutan collections identified under different categories namely as elite dessert types, export types and for industrial use confirmed the superiority of six collections over others. The lowest, mid and highest values of these collections were taken for redefining the existing standards so as to categorize them as elite, super elite and an ideotype respectively. This selection criteria realized from the highest potential realized from this study can certainly serve as a directional principle to the fruit breeders that what should be an ideotype, super elite and elite and also to have a benchmark for each attribute to qualify to these standards.