Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)
is an underutilised annual crop mainly valued for its edible calyces, leaves
and fibre. It is a tetraploid species belonging to the Malvaceae family with
significant economic and medicinal importance. It is a self-pollinated crop
which has cleistogamous flowers. It is mainly cultivated in tropical and
subtropical regions, including India, China, Thailand and various African and
Caribbean countries. In India, it is widely grown in Andhra Pradesh, West
Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and the North-Eastern states. Geo-climatic conditions
of Roselle are favourable for the production of Roselle as it requires a warm
and humid climate for its growth. The crop is known for its climate resilience
and ability to grow in marginal soils, making it ideal for sustainable
agriculture. Calyces of Roselle are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and widely
used in postharvest processing industries to prepare food products like juices,
teas and jams, while its stem provides coarse fibre used for rope and sack
production. Calyces of Roselle have huge medicinal importance. Despite having
immense potential, Roselle breeding has received very limited attention.
Important breeding objectives include improving calyx and fibre yield, quality
and resistance to pests, diseases, and abiotic stresses. Methods like pure line
selection, hybridisation, and biotechnological tools are being used to develop
improved varieties. Promising cultivars like HS-4288, Ujjal and JOR RS lines
have shown good performance. Given its diverse applications and adaptability,
focused research and development efforts are essential to unlock the full
potential of Roselle in the food and fibre industries.
Author(s)details:-
Homikhya Phukon
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University,
Jorhat -785013, India.
G.C. Bora
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University,
Jorhat -785013, India.
Jahnabi Devi
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University,
Jorhat -785013, India.
Please see the book
here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/asti/v6/6680
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