Mangosteen Breeding and Variabilities in Malaysia

Second National Congress on Genetics,
I3-l5 November 1996,
Genetics Society of Malaysia
213
MANGOSTEEN BREEDING AND VARIABILITIES IN MALAYSIA
M. Z. MOHD KHALID AND M. MASRI
MARDI Horticulture Research Centre, P.O. Box 12301,50774 Kuala Lumpur
ABSTRACT
Mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana is apomictic and there is only one known variety. Creating genetic
variabilities is difficult and hybridization is not possible. Breeders look for variabilities from wild
relatives collected from centre of diversity. Mangosteen has been reported to originate from South East
Asia. Fruits collected from six different localities of production in Peninsular Malaysia were evaluated.
Some variations were noted from amongst the accessions. Intensive survey of variations were also
carried out and more than 1000 accessions were evaluated from Malaysia including from Sabah and
Sarawak. The range for variations in some parameters are large. Since there are limitations in
conventional breeding, attempts are been made to induce variabilities through mutation breeding. Some
5000 seedlings are been evaluated after irradiation treatment.
INTRODUCTION
Mangosteen, Garciniq mongostqna, one of the indigenous exotic fruits from South East Asia, is considered the
most delicious of tropical fruits with a world wide market acceptibility. This obligate agamosperrny produce
female trees and male trees are rarely found. Hybridization is therefore not a feasible breeding technique to
generate variabilities. As there are unpublished reports of variabilities, there is a need to document such varietal
differences between mangosteen trees in Malaysia. Such variations if available would assist in the identification
of promising suitable cultivar for commercialisation. Surveys were conducted between 1988 to 1993 covering
major mangosteen growing areas in Malaysia.
As conventional breeding is not feasible in mangosteen an attempt to generate variabilities through mutation
was made. In this mutation breeding program, seeds were irradiated with gamma rays and induced variabilities
in seedlings were monitored.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Six mangosteen growing areas in Peninsular Malaysia were selected based on their different agro-ecological
zoning. The selected areas were in Johor, Negri Sembilan/Selangor, Pahang, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan.
Fifteen trees per location were used in this study comprising trees which were over 20 years old. The fruit
characteristics of individual trees were evaluated over a3 year period (1988-1991). In another similar survey
carried out between 1991-1993 a detailed study covering all the 13 states in Malaysia was conducted. Between
10-30 sample trees were considered taken for each of the districts identified. Fruit evaluation were carried out
over the two fruit seasons.
In the mutation breeding programme mangosteen seeds obtained from two growing areas were irradiated with
10 Gy of gamma rays. A total of 5000 seeds from each area\were irradiated. There were 4 replicates and a
control. Each plot therefore consisted of 1000 seeds After treatment the seeds were sown in sandbed about 2-4
cm deep. Percentage germination were recorded 1-2 months after sowing. Vigourous seedlings were
subsequently transferred to polybags after about 3 months old.
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SecondNational Congress onGenetics, 13-15 November 1996, Genetics Society of Malaysia
RESULTS
Fruit Survey
Fruit characteristics obtained from six different areas in Peninsular Malaysia showed no significant differences.
Nevertheless certain trees in some locations showed differences in fruit dimension and quality (Table l). This
include a seedless thin skin accession from Yan and a smaller but sweet fruit from Bukit Gantang. Greater
variations in fruit characteristics amongst accessions were noted in a number of traits in the detailed survey
(Table2). Fruit weight for example varied between 30-170 gm, stigmatic lobe between 4-9, rind thickness
between 2-12 mm, seed/fruit between 0-7 and the total soluble solid between ll-26%.
The surveys revealed that there are two types of fruit shapes namely the common round shape and an oblong
shape with slightly pointed tip. The latter popularly known as 'Mesta' are found in Pahang and Sabah.
Gummosis is common and found in most of the samples.
There are tlvo mangosteen seasons in most of the states in Malaysia. Trees that bear fruits in the main season
July to September do not fruit in the off season January to March.
MUTATION BREEDING
In the mutation breeding programme, preliminary irradiation showed that low dosages were needed for the LD
50 value (Table 3). Inadiations with gamma rays at 10 Gy ensured seeds viability remained at between 405)o/o.The seedlings raised from the 10 Gy irradiation treatment are being evaluated for growth vigour and other
cttaracteristics. The seedlings are presently still at the nursery evaluation stage. Some mutants do show growth
vigour while others died due to delayed effects of radiation. Promising mutants seedlings will be put to further
field evaluation.
Table 1. Fruit characteristics of mangosteen obtained from various locations in Peninsular Malaysia
Region
Kedah
Kelantan
Fruit
Fruit
weight
length
(mm)
(e)
76.8
t04.3
82.2
85.2
82.6
76.5
Temerloh
Bukit Gantang 60.5
80.9
Yan*
Perak
Johor
SelangorA{S
* Based on a single tree
59.5
66.6
66.0
63.s
60.9
71.1
63.0
65.5
assessment
Fruit
width
(mm)
55.2
60.9
57.7
54.0
57.5
58.2
53.4
51.2
Fruit
Rind
Rind
cir.
(mm)
(e)
(mm)
weight thick.
162.0 5r.2
191.5 68.7
182.2 55.0
186.6 59.2
t82.2
186.1
t72.7
180.0
6.8
8.1
7.0
7.1
60.2
68.7
7.4
34.7
5.6
50.7
5.6
8.4
T.S.S.
Seed
(%)
/fruit
t] .6
17.3
17.8
18.0
17.8
19.5
17.7
1.0
0.7
1.2
1.2
1.6
0.8
L8
0
Second National Congress on Genetics, I3-15 November 1996, Genetics Society of
Malaysia
215
Table 2. Some variations in fruit characteristics in mangosteen
Characteristics
Range
Fruit weight (g)
Stigmatic lobe (No)
30-176
Seed number/fruit
Rind thickness (mm)
r.s.s. (%)
4-9
0-7
3-12
t1-26
Table 3. Percentage of viable mangosteen seeds after irradiation with gamma-rays
Dos (Gy)
Time of irradiation
Percentage germination
l0
15 sec
44
15
23 sec
29 sec
1l
58 sec
20
40
5
60
80
min 26 sec
min 55 sec
0
0
0
100
min 24 sec
0
DISCUSSION
Mangosteen has considerable economic potential both for the local and export market. Early fruiting
characteristics and good fruit quality are prerequisites to development of a large economically viable
mangosteen production industry. Presently mangosteen only bear fruits at 7-8 years after planting, though under
good management earlier fruiting at 5-6 years is possible. The surveys indicated that there exist variabilities
between the fruit characteristics of mangosteen. There is further need to look into the mass propagation of
planting material through tissue culture and also the problem of pests and diseases. Some success had been
made in obtaining mutants in the breeding programme. The LD 50 (Gy) has been shown to be comparatively
low for mangosteen Screening of a large population of mutants for favourable traits is laborious and tedious.
However, this is one alternative available as mangosteen is apomictic thus rendering conventional breeding not
feasible.
216
Second National Congress on Genetics, 13-l5 November 1996, Genetics Society of Malaysia
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the Director-General MARDI for allowing the paper to be presented at the
Second National Congress on Genetics. Special thanks to MINT for inadiating the mangosteen seeds and Dr.
Zainal Abidin Mohamed for going through the manuscript.
REFERENCES
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A, Donini, B, and Malus4mski, M.
(1990). Induced Mutations
for Crop Improvement Mutation
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Mohd Khalid,M.Z. and Rukayah, A. (1993). Penanaman Manggis. MARDI: 42 pages.
Rao, V. R. and Reid, R. (1995). Collecting Plant Genetic Diversity. CAB International.
Richards, A. J. (1986). Plant Breeding Systems. George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd. London.
Spiegel-Roy, P. (1990). Economic and Agricultural Impact
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/r.^"&'n {n'* rs
5*++r 'u/nr
4*'
of Mutation Breeding in Fruit Trees. Mutation