Fig (Ficus carica L) is a typical subtropical fruit crop which is generating commercial importance in the recent past. In Tamil Nadu, the scope of fig cultivation is increasing because of introduction of exotic cultivars viz., Afghan fig, Brown Turkey, Brownswick, Deannaover traditional varieties viz., Tinda fig. In this study, three introduced fig cultivars (Afghan, Brown Turkey and Deanna) were evaluated on the basis of pomological and agronomical characteristics with the aim to find best performing cultivar for commercial exploitation. Among the cultivars studied, canopy spread, volume, fruit size and weight, Brown Turkey had the heaviest fruit (46.28 g), whereas Deanna had the lightest fruit (39.64g). Brown Turkey had the highest fruit quality in terms of TSS (16.23 °B) and acidity (0.28%). Based on the preliminary investigations, it is recommended that Brown Turkey may be exploited for commercial exploitation.

Ficus carica. L, ripe fig, fruit quality, tree characters

Among the three cultivars, Brown Turkey was found to be superior to the other two cultivars, Afghan and Deanna in terms of yield and quality of fruits, while plant growth was more for Afghan. The number of fruits per tree was higher for Afghan, followed by Brown Turkey, but the fruit weight was more for Brown Turkey, followed by Deanna which is intermediate in all the characteristics. Thus, the variety Brown Turkey is suitable for both fresh and dry consumption under local conditions. From this comparison of results, it can be concluded that Brown Turkey may be exploited for commercial planting.

Manasa Jyothi, Aneesa Rani M.S., Kavino M. and Djanaguiraman M. (2022). Evaluation of Exotic Fig (Ficus carica. L) Cultivars for Pomological Characters. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(3): 1652-1654.