Breeding strategies and scope of improvement in arid zone fruit crop-plants under abiotic stressed agro-climate: an analysis

Dry-land  horticulture  has  immense  potential  in  providing  nutrition, social security and eco-restoration for the inhabitants of desert or rainfed and  tribal  land-areas  of  hot  arid  and  semi-arid  regions  of  the  country. Realizing  the  importance  and  visionary  support,  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had prioritized research with few fruits in 1976  and then  AICRP  on  arid  zone  fruits  was  started  from  1978  with crop  based  centers  in  hot–spot  region  and  this  strengthen  resulted  to giving rise of Central Institute for Arid Horticulture in 1993 as national concern for conservation and  use  of  arid crop-plant diversity  and their 
promotion  for  horticultural  exploitation.  During  1985,  commercial capacity  of  ber,  pomegranate,  aonla,  bael,  tamarind  and  custard  apple was renowned. Indian sub-continent is one of recognized centre of origin or  secondary  areas  of  regional  diversity  for  number  of  fruit  crop-plant which are of native to arid and tribal areas, and not much attended for their potentiality i.e. ber, bordi, jharber, khejri, ker, lasora, gundi, pilu, phalsa,  daasra,  karonda,  aonla,  bael,  wood  apple,  custard  apple, tamarind,  jamun,  tendu,  chironji,  mahua,  khirni,  Palmyra  palm,  Indian dates,  mulberry,  fig  and  sehjan  etc.  There  is  ample  scope  for  these 
drought tolerant and low input requiring crop-plant and for this there is rich reserve of considerable genetic variability is exists in species from Thar desert and tribal areas of the north-western India, which can yield fruits for fresh consumption, products of horticultural and nutraceutical values.  Thus,  their  systematic  exploitation  and  commercialization  can not only provide food security but also ensure economic stability in rural masses  in  vast  arid  and  semi-arid  and/or  tribal  dominating  sub-humid 
areas.