Assessment of Fruit and Seed Morphological Traits of Underutilized Wild Edible Fruits from the Eastern Himalayan Tracts, India

Abstract

Wild edible fruits are considered to be an excellent source of nutrients and have received global attention due to their contributions in human health. In this study, the morphological properties of 44 wild edible fruit species from India’s Eastern Himalayan regions were studied. Dillenia indica had the highest fruit weight (407 g), fruit width (10.35 cm), volume (373.33 mL), and pulp weight (350.95 g) of the studied fruits, while Citrus medica had the highest fruit length (15.50 cm), peel weight (288.71 g), and peel thickness (2.08 cm). The pulp percentages of Rubus rosifolius and R. ellipticus were found to be high, with 98.12 and 97.65%, respectively. Castanopsis hystrix, a nut fruit, has the highest dry matter percentage (77.20). In terms of seed morphology, Spondias pinnata had the highest seed weight (16.94 g), seed length (4.06 cm), and width (2.92 cm). In terms of the number of seeds per fruit, both the Rubus and Ficus spp. possessed an infinite number of small seeds. D. indica had the most seeds per fruit (148.83). Fruit and seed color varied for the assessed fruit species. During the ripening period, the fruit color displayed various hues, including yellow, orange, brown, purple, red, green, and black groups. The timing of flowering and fruit maturation period also varied, which helps to validate and determine the availability fruit species. The findings revealed that all the investigated fruits featured diverse morphological characteristics, providing a deeper understanding of the structural characteristics of 44 fruits considered desirable for future commercialization. The outcome of the study will help fruit growers and breeders to select the appropriate wild edible fruit species based on the market needs taking into account the ripening season and fruit color.