Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a world-wide highly appreciated fruit, with its attractive colour, soft texture and typical flavour. In the current investigation, 68 apricot accessions collected from Jammu and Kashmir, India were analysed to determine the measure of variation using 12 qualitative and 16 quantitative traits with an aim to identify superior apricot accessions with excellent fruit quality traits. High phenotypic variability was observed among the studied apricot accessions with significant differences among most of the qualitative and quantitative traits. Fruit-related characteristics including fruit weight, fruit length, fruit ratio, fruit firmness, fruit shape, fruit suture, stone weight, kernel weight and stone shape were the most diverse with a high coefficient of variation (>30%). One way analysis of variance showed significant differences (P < 0.0001) among all the quantitative traits. Significant positive and negative correlations were observed between all the agronomically important fruit quality traits. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that 75.34% of the variability was defined by the first eight components. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram, based on all traits measured grouped the accessions into two main clusters with several sub-clusters. Both UPGMA dendrogram and PCA scatter plot formed a cluster of 14 accessions, having the highest values regarding most important fruit quality traits such as fruit weight, fruit length and width, fruit ratio, stone weight and kernel weight can be treated as potentially superior accessions. These accessions can be used directly for cultivation and in future apricot breeding programmes. The present findings are promising for genetic resource management, cultivar improvement and commercial applications of apricot in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

中文翻译：

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印度查谟和克什米尔杏（Prunus armeniaca L.）种质的表型多样性分析

杏 （亚美尼亚李L.) 是一种举世瞩目的水果，具有迷人的色泽、柔软的质地和典型的风味。在目前的调查中，对从印度查谟和克什米尔采集的 68 个杏种质进行分析，以确定使用 12 个定性和 16 个数量性状的变异量度，旨在鉴定具有优良果实品质性状的优质杏种质。在所研究的杏种质中观察到高表型变异性，大多数定性和数量性状之间存在显着差异。果实相关性状包括果实重、果实长度、果实比、果实硬度、果实形状、果实缝合线、核重、仁重和核形是最多样化的，并且变异系数高（> 30％）。一种方差分析显示显着差异（磷< 0.0001) 在所有数量性状中。在所有重要的农艺性状之间观察到显着的正相关和负相关。主成分分析 (PCA) 显示，75.34% 的变异性由前八个成分定义。具有算术平均值（UPGMA）树状图的未加权配对分组方法基于所有测量的性状，将种质分为两个主要集群和几个子集群。UPGMA 树状图和 PCA 散点图均形成了 14 个种质的簇，在最重要的果实品质性状（如果实重、果实长宽、果实比、核重和仁重）方面具有最高值，可被视为潜在的优良种质。这些种质可直接用于栽培和未来的杏育种计划。