Artocarpus heterophyllus, Jackfruit, and Other Artocarpus spp.

The genus Artocarpus of Moraceae family consists of over 70 species and A. heterophyllus, A. altilis, A. integer, A. hirsutus, and A. lakoocha are commercially important. The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.), which originated in India’s Western Ghats, is the most important commercial species having high quantity of health-promoting substances. The tree is monoecious and cross-pollinated. It has rich diversity with significant genetic variations in morphology, flowering, fruit, yield, and quality traits like sweetness, flavor, and taste. It is crucial to collect, characterize, and conserve this enormous genetic diversity. Several germplasm of jackfruit have been collected and conserved in the field gene banks, particularly in India, Nepal, Vietnam, China, Philippines, etc. Use of molecular tools to characterize jackfruit germplasm helps to identify the exact variation existing among the germplasm. The scientific knowledge on breeding of jackfruit is scarce, and genetic improvement of a jack is time-consuming. Thus, selection of elite clones is one of the best and easiest ways of jackfruit improvement. Various clonal selections were identified from different parts of the jackfruit-growing areas and released as varieties for commercial cultivation. Similarly, some of the elite germplasm conserved by farmers are also identified and registered under PPV&FR Act. This chapter covers detailed information about the jackfruit taxonomy and botany, origin and distribution, genetic diversity and important wild relatives, collection, conservation, utilization and improvement, and breeding method including farmers’ varieties.