This document summarizes information about genetic diversity and status of Ziziphus species in India. It discusses two main species cultivated in India - Ziziphus mauritiana (Indian ber) and Ziziphus jujuba (Chinese ber). It provides details on their origin, distribution, cultivation practices, morphological characteristics, flowering and fruiting patterns. It also describes the genetic resources conserved in germplasm collections and the diversity within the Ziziphus genus. Factors influencing productivity and strategies to improve the species through exploitation of wild relatives are summarized.

1. Genetic Diversity and Status of
Ziziphus in India

2. Ber : Ziziphus Mauritiana
Order : Rhamnales
Cultivation : Marginal ecosystems of the subtropics and tropics
(India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Central to Southern Africa
and northern parts of Australia)
• Suitable to rehabilitate resource poor areas
•Suitable for integration into agro-forestry system of warm desert eco-
regions
•Help in economic sustenance and insurance against ecological degradation

3. Species : Ziziphus jujuba
Cultivation : Drier parts of china, including Taiwan, Syria, Spain, France,
Uzbekistan, South Western USA
•Can tolerate very low temperature and suitable for growing in colder regions
•Major production of Chinese jujube fruits is dehydrated and marketed as
“Chinese dates”

4. Difference between Indian Ber and Chinese ber
Indian Ber Chienese Ber
Ziziphus mauritiana Ziziphus jujube
Indian ber Chinese ber
Cultivated in warmer regions Cultivated in colder regions
Trees large and spreading Trees small and have upright growth
Branches vine like Branches Zig Zag
Leaves pubescent on lower surface Leaves glabose on lower surface
Flowers in autumn (Sept–Oct. ) Flowers in Spring (Feb-March)
Summer dormancy Winter dormancy
Doesn’t prefer cool climate Prefers cool climate
Single spine, generally curved Spines are in pair, one is larger and
straight
Fruits have more acidity and less
Vitamin C
Fruits are less acidic and contains
higher vitamin C

5. ORIGIN
Original home of Ziziphus mauritiana
Myanmar (Burma)
Indo-Malaysia
Indian archeological : 1500 BC - 300 AD
and literary records
Indian Scriptures : 800 - 300 BC

6. DISTRIBUTION
All over the Indian
sub - continent
Himalayas (1500 m -
Kanyakumari
Western Desert - Eastern
wet tropics
Central - South India
Area under cultivation
90, 000 ha

7. Thermal
stress
Intense
aridity
High wind
velocity
Erratic
rainfall
Drought
ARID ECO-
SYSTEM

8. GERMPLASM
CONSERVATION
Centre Accessions (No.)
Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner, Rajasthan 311
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (CAZRI), Jodhpur,
Rajasthan
146
Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 25
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 51
Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (CHES), Godhra, Gujarat 52
CCS, Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar 79
CCS, HAU, (RRS), Bawal Hissar 58
N. D. Univ of Agriculture and Technology, Faizabad 30
Mahatma Phule Agriculture University, Rahuri, Maharashtra 93
Fruit Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab 41
Rajasthan Agricultural University, RRS, Jobner, Rajasthan 54

9. Z. apetla Hook. f.
Z. funiculosa Ham.
Z. glabra Roxb.
Z. horrida Roth.
Z. incurva Roxb.
Z. Jujuba Mill.
North Eastern Hills
N. W. Himalayas
Z. horsifieldi Miq. Nicobar Island
Z. oxyphylla Edgew. N. W. Himalayas
Z. rupicola T. Andern. Central and Eastern India
Z. trinervia Roxb.
Z. truncata Blatt. and Hall.
Z. Vulgaris Lam.
North west
DIVERSITY OF THE GENUS:
Ziziphus
Cont…

10. * Z. nummularia Wight and Arn.
* Z. mauritiana Lam.
N. W. India and U. P.
* Z. oenoplia Mill.
* Z. rugosa Lam.
* Z. rotundifolia Lam.
* Z. Sativa Gaertn.
Throughout India
* Z. Xylopyra Willd Sub Himalyan tract,
Central and Southern
India
(Maheswari and Singh, 1965)

13. Genetic variability among the species

14. CYTOLOGY
Cultivars Chromosome number
Banarasi, Banarasi Pewandi, Bombay,
Chhuhara, Dandan, Desi Alwar, Golar,
Gorva, Kaithali, Kala gola, Katha phal,
Laddu, Mirchia, Nalgarhi, Narikeli,
Nazuk, Noki, Pathani, Sandhura
Narnaul, Sanaur, Sanaur-2, Sanaur-3,
Sanaur-4, Sanaur-6, Seb, Safeda
selected, 28/1, Umran, Wilayati, ZG-2,
ZG-3, Hoshiarpur
n = 24
Illaichi and Mithianwali n = 48
Kalianwali n = 30
Z. rotundifolia n = 24, 36
Z. nummularia n = 48
Z. sativa n = 12
Z. vulgaris n = 26
Khoshoo and Singh, 1963

15. Chromosomal association at diakinesis
of metaphase I
Species/cultivar Chromosome number
(2n)
Chromosomal association
I II III IV
Z. mauritiana
cv. Illaichi
96 -- 48 -- --
Z. mauritiana
cv. Umran
48 -- 24 -- --
Gola (wild) 96 1 36 1 5
Boradi (wild) 96 1 44 1 1
Z. rotundifolia 48
72
--
--
22
36
--
--
1
--
(Nehra et al., 1983)

16. GROWTH
FORMS
Characteristics Range
Tree Form Erect - semi - erect - spreading
Petiole length (cm) 1.1 - 3.2
Leaf length (cm) 4.9 - 12.0
Leaf width (cm) 3.6 - 6.5
Length : width 1.0 - 2.2
Leaf area (cm2
) 15 - 60
Leaf colour Light - Dark green
Leaf shape Oblong - oval - elliptic - round - cordate
Leaf base Obtuse - broad - round - oblique - tapering-
narrow - acute
Leaf apex Round - obtuse flat - obtuse cupped - acute
-curved - acute
(Pareek., 2001)

17. FLOWERING PERIOD AND
FRUIT MATURITY
Location Lat. - Long. Av. Temp °C.
Max Min
Av.
Rainfall
(mm)
Flowering
period
Fruit
maturity
Aruppukotai (09° 55' N - 78° 07' E) 26.3 20.9 904.9 10 May - 20 Sep 10 Sep - 25 Feb
Rayadurg (14° 58' N– 77° 35' E) 32.7 15.0 923.7 10 Jan - 20 Jul 20 Oct - 20 Nov
Anantapur (14° 41' N– 77° 37' E) 38.4 17.2 562.3 20 May - 30 Aug 30 Oct - 20 Jan
S. K. Nagar (24° 19' N – 72° 19' E) 41.4 09.5 650.0 25 Aug - 25 Nov 10 Jan - 05 Mar
Varanasi (25° 18' N– 83° 00 ' E) 41.5 09.5 1041.4 15 Sep - 05 Nov 28 Feb - 20 Mar
Jodhpur (26° 18' N – 73 ° 00 ' E) 41.6 09.5 350.1 25 Aug - 30 Oct 30 Dec - 05 Mar
Sikar (27° 36' N – 75° 06' E) 40.6 08.3 648.1 20 Aug - 10 Nov 10 Jan - 20 Mar
Faizabad (26° 47' N – 82° 08' E) 40.5 08.4 1181.4 30 Aug - 30 Oct 10 Feb - 20 Mar
Bikaner (28° 06' N – 73° 18' E) 42.5 07.1 243.0 30 Aug - 30 Oct 30 Jan - 20 Mar
Bawal (29° 10' N – 75° 44' E) 41.6 5.5 446.0 20 Aug -25 Nov 05 Feb - 15 Apr
Patiala (30° 18' N – 76° 24' E) 40.4 07.1 859.5 10 Sep - 20 Nov 15 Feb - 20 Apr

18. Flowering
6-Feb
9-Mar
9-Apr
10-May
10-Jun
11-Jul
11-Aug
11-Sep
12-Oct
12-Nov
13-Dec
Arid Semi Arid Tropical Subtropical
Months
Initital Peak Ends
Fruit Maturing
0
50
100
150
200
Arid Semi Arid Tropical Sub
Tropical
Days
.Intiation Peak

19. FRUIT
CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristics Range
Shape Round - oval - ovate - oblong - oblate
Style end Round - round with depression - bluntly tapering
- obliquely flat
Length (cm) 1.82 - 5.80
Breadth (cm) 1.1 - 4.7
Size (l x w) cm 2.2 - 1.7 x 5.7-3.5
Weight (g) 3.8 - 39.5
Stem end Round - round with shallow cavity-obtuse or
flattened - slightly ridged-faintly grooved-
distinctly ridged - necked - tapering
Cavity in pericarp At stem end - at styler end - at both ends.
Colour of developing
fruit
Light green - green - dark green - green with red
pigment - brownish red - half red green
Colour of ripe fruit Green - greenish - light yellow - golden yellow
-brownish - reddish brown

20. COMPOSITION
Characteristics Range
Pulp (%) 81.00 - 97.00
Stone (%) 2.70 - 12.00
Starch (%) 0.72 - 1.15
TSS (°Brix) 12.00 - 23.00
Total Sugar (%) 3.10 - 14.50
Reducing Sugar (%) 1.40 - 9.70
Non Reducing sugars (%) 1.30 - 9.70
Acidity (%) 0.13 - 1.42
Ascorbic acid (mg/100g) 39.00 - 166.00
Fe2O3 (mg/100g) 0.01 - 2.00

21. IDENTIFIED TRAITS
Traits Cultivar
Fruit maturity Early (Gola, Goma Kirti, Mundia, Nazuk, Sandhura Thar
Sevika, Thar Bhubhraj), mid season (Banarasi,
Dandan, Jogia, Kaithali, Sanaur-2, Sanaur-5, Seb),
Late (Illaichi, Kali, Katha phal, Mahrawali, Umran,
Vikas, ZG-3)
Sweetness Thar Bhubhraj, Thar Sevika, Reshmi, Umran
Pulp texture Coconut-like (Umran), juicy (Gola, Aligang), Melting
(Illaicchi)
Fruit size Very large (Ponda), large (Umran), Medium (Mundia,
Banarasi, Gola), Small (Illaichi)
Fruit shape Apple like (Seb), Cardamom-shaped (Illaichi), Bell
shaped (Mundia), Round (Gola), Oblong (Umran)
Fruit colour Bright golden (Sanaur), Bright yellow (Gola), Greenish
yellow with brown blush (Kathaphal)
Acidity Very low (Umran, Maharwali), Moderate (Sanaur),
Acidic (Kathaphal)
(Pareek., 2001)

22. Thar Bhubhraj Thar Sevika
(Seb x
Katha)
SELECTION AND
HYBRIDS
CIAH-

23. Gola Z.
rotundifolia
CULTIVARS
Cont…

24. Z. rotundifolia

25. Seb Kaithali
Cont…

26. Goma Kirti Banarasi Karaka
Cont…

27. Ponda
Mirchia

28. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES
Traits Cultivar
Tolerant to fruit
fly
Illaichi, Thar Sevika, Thar Bhubhraj, Bawal Selection-1,
Bawal selection-2
Resistance to
fruit fly
Tikadi, Meharun
Tolerant to
Powdery mildew
Bawal Selection-1, Thar sevika, Thar Bhubhraj, Sanaur-5,
katha phal, safed Rohtak, Gola, Seb, Meharun
Resistance to
Powdery mildew
Tikadi, Khavaspura
Tolerant to Frost Mahrawali, ZG-3
Resistance to
Frost
Tikadi, Khavaspura
Salt tolerance Z. rotundifolia, Banarsi Karaka >50% (60.5 ESP, 20.25
dsm-1
)

29. CHILLING INJURY

30. Narma
Manuka
Noki
Gola Gurgaon
Gola
Kakrola Gola
Noki
BS 75, 1B-51
Gola
Gurgoan
Chonchal
Illaichi
Bagwadi
Sanaur 5
Ladu
Kaithali
Katha Phal
Seb
B. Pewandi
B. Kadaka
Mundia
Dandan Alwar Desi
Govindgarh special
Kala Gola
Chhuhara
Umran
Gola Hisar
Reshmi
Carboxylation efficiency
WUE
PN
CLASSIFICATION OF BER
CULTIVAR

31. SHELF LIFE
Cultivar Storage condition Temperature
Good
Thar Sevika
Thar Bhubhraj
Seb
Umran
Mahrawali
Banarasi karaka
Illaichi
Room Temperature (10-12 days)
Zero Energy (15-20 days)
Cold storage (30-35 days)
15°-25°C, 64% RH
12°-20°C, 95% RH
10-12°C, 79%RH
Poor
Gola
Room Temperature ( 7- 8 days)
Zero Energy (10-15 days)
Cold storage (20-25 days)
15°-25°C, 64% RH
12°-20°C, 95% RH
10-12°C, 79%RH
(Anon., 1997)

32. PROCESSING
Dehydration
Umran, Bagwari, Chhuhara, Chinese cultivars, Kaithali
Preserve
Umran, Banarasi Karaka, kaithali
Candy
Illaichi, Umran, Banarasi karaka, Kathaphal, Kaithali, Narma
Bevarage
Gola, Mundia

37. DIVERSITY FOR IMPROVEMENT
Wild relatives Exploitable attributes
Z. nummularia and Z. lotus Dwarfness, deep tap root system
Drought tolerance
Early fruit Maturity
Z. jujuba Resistance to low temperature damage
Excellent for dehydration
High vitamin C and P contents in fruits
Z. mistol Resistance to low temperature damage
Z. mauritiana Vigrous tree frame
Extended period of fruit availability
Z. rotundifolia Wood of marginal timber value
Tolerant to low temperature
Fruits of medicinal value

38. Retain single trunk and allow 4-5
primary branches at 1-1.2 m height.
Maintain 4-5 secondaries on each
primary branches.
Regular pruning during summer to
promote new growth.
Skirting is also required.

39. Training in Ziziphus mauritiana

41. Effect of pruning time on fruit yield (kg/tree) at
different locations
Pruning
time
Locations Pruning time
Bawal1
Rahuri2
Aruppukotai1
April 1 -- 34.7 30.0 January 1
May 1 44.5 38.7 30.2 February 1
May 15 47.3 -- 31.5 March 1
June 1 58.1 27.3 30.5 April 1
June 15 46.0 -- 26.6 May 1
July 1 -- 13.7 24.8 June 1
AICRP on AZF, 2007

42. Effect of pruning time on fruit yield
(kg/tree) at Bikaner
Pruning
time
Pruning intensity (%)
25 50 75
April 20 26.0 29.0 22.0
April 30 22.0 27.0 18.0
May 10 16.0 19.0 15.0
May 20 17.0 18.0 14.0
Shukla and Awasthi, 2009

43. Israel
 Pyramid system
 Side creates continuous wall for production
 Flowering and production starts from the ground level making
harvesting easy and cheap
 Fifteen year old orchard kept at a height of 2.0m (annual pruning)
 Planting distance 1.5mx3.0m
 Tree shape of 4.5m2
(222 trees/ha)

44. Top working
Lopping at 2m height
Shoots emerge in 15-30 days time
One vertical, well spaced and vigorous shoot on each limb
are retained in different directions
Shoots budded with a suitable scion cultivar
In arid and semi arid sub tropics of India lopping is carried
out between spring and summer time

45. Budded plants of berMist unit for raising plants
NURSERY MANAGEMENT

47. FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS
• Conservation of genetic resources.
• Molecular techniques.
• Spotting of genetic markers for
resistance to powdery mildew, fruit fly
and frost.
• Inducing resistance against powdery
mildew, fruit fly and frost

48. Ber-Cluster bean-Mustard
Ber-Indian Aloe
Ber-khejri-cluster bean
Ber Based Cropping System

49. Mustard Cluster bean
Wheat Ground nut
Indian Aloe
Ber
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Cash-flow from Ber based cropping
system

50. Ber+Indian Aloe

51. Ber + MustardBer + Mustard

52. Ber + Khejri + Cluster bean

54. Allelopathic Effects
 Root exudates
 Leaf leachates
 Litter decomposition
 Volatile toxicants
 Sick soil toxicant
Root exudates Sick soil toxicant
Volatile toxicant Leaf leachates
Litter
decomposition

55. Allelopathic influence of Ziziphus
Ground storey
crop
Germination (%) Reduction*
(%)Treated Control
Groundnut 87.60 94.20 6.60
Cluster Bean 95.20 98.00 2.80
Wheat 96.60 98.40 1.80
Mustard 13.40 91.20 77.60
* Reduction in germination percent over control
Saroj et al. (2000)
Allelochemicals
 Zizynummin
 Dammarane
 Saponin

56. Allelopathic response
Cluster bean Ground nut
Mustard Wheat