Abstract
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllusLam.) Diversity in Bangladesh: Land Use and Artificial Selection. Bangladesh is often recognized as a secondary center of diversity for jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) and is expected to harbor important genetic diversity of this underutilized tree crop. Unfortunately, genetic erosion is occurring before this rich local resource has been documented and utilized for potential crop improvement. The aim of this study was to carry out a village-based survey and make morphological measurements to document and assess jackfruit diversity across trees associated with a gradient of three locations/habitats (homesteads, public lands, and forest or fallow lands). We also tested the hypotheses that cultivated jackfruit found in homesteads exhibited positive selection pressure for characteristics desirable in the market, and that the tree location reflected its history of origin and human selection. This was accomplished using 28 standardized morphological descriptors and represents the first large-scale assessment (900 trees) of jackfruit diversity in multiple locations (nine villages). Among the descriptors studied, those most closely associated with jackfruit marketability showed a trend for selection among the trees located in homesteads. Both fruits and leaves were larger in plants on homesteads compared to plants in forest/fallow lands, and fruit quality was significantly higher in homestead trees compared to the other two location categories. However, 18.7% and 23.7% of the fruits found on public lands and forest/fallow lands, respectively, were still considered to be of excellent fruit quality and tree vigor was significantly higher in jackfruit in forest/fallow lands compared to the other location categories. The combination of high tree vigor and presence of excellent fruit quality among jackfruit in forest/fallow lands suggests that the “wild” Bangladeshi jackfruit germplasm, which is considered inferior for market and is being negatively impacted, has valuable genetic diversity to contribute to jackfruit cultivation. Furthermore, sampling across a gradient of habitats may enable the detection of possible trends resulting from domestication pressures.
Abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Arora, R. K. 1998. Genetic Resources of Native Tropical Fruits in Asia: Diversity, Distribution and IPGRI’s Emphasis on the Conservation and Use. Pages 42–53 in R. K. Arora and V. R. Rao, eds., Tropical Fruits in Asia—Diversity, Maintenance, Conservation and Use. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, New Delhi.
Azad, A. K. 1999. Genetic Diversity of Jackfruit and Development of Propagation Methods. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Southampton, U.K.
———, J. G. Jones, and N. Haq. 2007. Assessing Morphological and Isozyme Variation of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) in Bangladesh. Agroforestry Systems 71:109–125.
Barrau, J. 1976. Breadfruit and Relatives. Pages 201–202 in N. W. Simmonds, ed., Evolution of Crop Plants. Longman, London.
Bashar, M. A. and A. K. M. A. Hossain. 1993. Present Status of Jackfruit in Bangladesh. A Paper Submitted to the International Centre for Underutilized Crops (ICUC), Southampton University, U.K.
Beddome, R. H. 1873. Forester’s Manual of Botany for Southern India. Gantz Brothers at the Adelphi Press, Madras.
Brandis, D. 1906. Indian Trees. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun.
Brush, S. B. 1991. A Farmer Based Approach to Conserving Crop Germplasm. Economic Botany 45:153–165.
Dhar, M. 1998. Techniques of Vegetative and in vitro Propagation of Jackfruit. Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Agriculture, Salna, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Gamble, J. S. 1902. A Manual of Indian Timbers. An Account of the Growth, Distribution, and Uses of the Trees and Shrubs of India and Ceylon with Descriptions of Their Wood Structures. Sampson Low, Marston, and Company, London.
Hamrick, J. L. and M. J. W. Godt. 1990. Allozyme Diversity in Plant Species. Pages 43–63 in A. D. H. Brown, M. T. Clegg, A. L. Kahler, and B. S. Weir, eds., Plant Population Genetics, Breeding and Germplasm Resources. Sinauer, Massachusetts.
Haque, M. A. 1991. Village and Forestry in Bangladesh. Joint Publication of Bangladesh Agricultural University and SAARC Documentation Center, New Delhi.
Harlan, J. R. 1971. Agricultural Origins: Centers and Noncenters. Science 174:468–474.
———. 1992. Crops and Man. American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America, Madison.
Hawkes, J. G. 1983. The Diversity of Crop Plants. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Hort, A. F. 1916. Theophrastus Enquiry into Plants. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Hossain, A. K. M. A. 1996. Status Report on Genetic Resources of Jackfruit in Bangladesh. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute Regional Office, Singapore.
IPGRI. 2000. Descriptors for Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Rome.
Jagadeesh, S. L., B. S. Reddy, G. S. K. Swamy, K. Gorbal, L. Hegde, and G. S. V. Raghaven. 2006. Chemical Composition of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Selections of Western Ghats of India. Food Chemistry 102:361–365.
Jarrett, F. M. 1959. Studies in Artocarpus and Allied Genera. III. A Revision of Artocarpus Subgenus Artocarpus. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 40(113–155):298–368.
Kanjilal, U. N., P. C. Kanjilal, and A. Das. 1940. Flora of Assam. Published under the Authority of the Government of Assam, India.
Khan, R. 2008. Character Differences Associated with Habitats of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) in Three Unions of Tangail District. M.S. thesis, Department of Botany, University of Rajshahi, Motihar, Bangladesh.
NRC (National Research Council). 1993. Agricultural Crop Issues and Policies / Committee on Managing Global Genetic Resources: Agricultural Imperatives, Board on Agriculture. National Academy Press, Washington.
Oldfield, M. L. and J. B. Alcorn. 1987. Conservation of Traditional Agroecosystems. Bioscience 37:199–208.
Saha, M. C., M. G. Sha, M. A. Rahman, M. I. Nazrul, A. Quasem, N. K. Halder, and A. F. M. E. Haque. 1996. Variability in Jackfruit, Internal Research Review Workshop, 1–4. Horticulture Research Center, BARI, Gazipur.
Schnell, R. J., C. T. Olano, R. J. Campbell, and J. S. Brown. 2001. AFLP Analysis of Genetic Diversity within a Jackfruit Germplasm Collection. Scientia Horticulturae 91:261–274.
Shyamalamma, S., S. B. C. Chandra, M. Hegde, and P. Naryanswamy. 2008. Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Based on Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Markers. Genetics and Molecular Research 7:645–656.
Talbot, W. A. 1911. Forest Flora of Bombay Presidency and Sind, 2. Government of Bombay, Poona.
Ullah, M. A. and M. A. Haque. 2008. Studies on Fruiting, Bearing Habit and Fruit Growth of Jackfruit Germplasm. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research 33:391–397.
Wight, R. 1843. Icones Plantarum Indiae Orientalis. J. B. Pharoah, Madras.
Williams, J. T. and N. Haq. 2002. Global Research on Underutilized Crops. An Assessment of Current Activities and Proposals for Enhanced Cooperation. ICUC (International Centre for Underutilized Crops), Southampton.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the villagers in the Tangail District for information and help during the field survey and would also like to thank the three reviewers for their insightful comments that improved this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Khan, R., Zerega, N., Hossain, S. et al. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Diversity in Bangladesh: Land Use and Artificial Selection1 . Econ Bot 64, 124–136 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-010-9116-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-010-9116-1