VARIABILITY IN SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS UNDER SEMIARID CONDITIONS

Abstract

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) being dioecious and polyploid is characterized by tremendous variability in yield as well as other morphological characters. Some highly fertile male and consistently high yielding female plants were selected and identified as etect, semierectand prostrate types. An effort was made to study the phenotypic variability existing in these various plant types which can be utilized for the economic improvement of the plant species. The study revealed that the erect type of male plants with high pollen fertility and long duration of flowering and prostrate type of female plants with high plant volume and seed yield must be used for further improvement of the crop.