Diversity analysis reveals significant variations in Dioscorea bulbifera L. collected from Kerala, India, enabled identification of superior germplasm

Multivariate analysis of agro-morphological traits reveals diversity and population structure in cultivated yams (Dioscorea spp.) from Cameroon with implications for breeding

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a major staple crop in West and Central Africa, but its productivity remains limited by the underutilization of available genetic diversity. This study evaluated the agro-morphological diversity and population structure of cultivated yams in Cameroon. A total of 224 accessions were collected from farmers’ fields and local markets across major yam-growing regions and established in an on-farm trial at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Yaoundé, using a serpentine design without replication. A subset of 126 accessions, representing four healthy plants per landrace and sampling locality, was characterized using 42 agro-morphological descriptors encompassing tuber, vegetative, and inflorescence traits. Data were standardized using z-score transformation and analyzed using principal components analysis (PCA) for exploratory ordination. Based on PCA ordination, accessions with similar local names were aggregated to reduce the dataset to 88 landraces. Mean trait values were subjected to Gower distance-based hierarchical clustering. The first two principal components explained 45.4% of total variation, driven mainly by tuber traits, plant vigor, and leaf morphology. The population structure was resolved along gradients defined by productivity-, defense-, and growth cycle-related traits. Cluster analysis identified five stable groups, with further subdivision into seven clades, at Gower thresholds of 0.38 and 0.24, respectively. Silhouette analysis supported the five-cluster solution as the most robust. The observed diversity reflected a trade-off between adaptive defense strategies and productivity-related traits. The seven clades corresponded to seven presumptive Dioscorea species, suggesting possible genetic erosion compared to earlier reports. These findings highlight substantial morphological diversity, important for yam breeding and conservation. Integration of molecular markers is recommended to enhance finer genetic resolution of genetic diversity of yams.

Characterization of exotic oil palm germplasm using IBPGR descriptors and identification of promising genetic stocks

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) improvement depends on the availability and effective utilization of genetically diverse germplasm. The present study aimed to characterize 24 selected oil palm germplasm accessions maintained at ICAR–Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, which included Elaeis guineensis (17 duras and 2 teneras) and Elaeis oleifera (5 accessions), using IBPGR (1989) descriptors and to identify palms with economically important traits. The accessions represented diverse geographic origins from Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. Considerable variability was recorded for tree form, fruit form, bunch traits, bunch quality components, and vegetative characters. Dura and tenera fruit forms were observed in Elaeis guineensis, with predominance of dura, while E. oleifera exhibited thick-shelled fruits. Bunch weight ranged from 3.76 to 44.01 kg, while oil to bunch varied from 5.70 to 21.50%. Palm height ranged from 2.2 to 9.0 m, indicating the presence of both compact and tall palms. Based on trait-specific performance for bunch traits, bunch components, and vegetative characteristics, palms viz., DOPR-G23 (O6), DOPR-G24 (O22), DOPR G53 (E.61), and DOPR-G59 (E.48) were identified as potential parental sources for utilisation in breeding programmes, being superior for high bunch weight, high fruit to bunch, high oil to bunch, and low shell to fruit, respectively.

Biochemical and Molecular Diversity in Ocimum basilicum L. Cultivars: Implications for Sustainable Germplasm Characterization and Breeding

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an economically and culturally important aromatic crop whose essential oil, phenolic, and flavonoid profiles underpin its culinary, medicinal, and industrial value. Beyond flavoring, basil essential oil and leaf phenolics are applied as antifungal, insecticidal, and antibacterial agents in low-input crop protection and food preservation; therefore, the practical value of a given cultivar depends directly on which secondary metabolites it accumulates. Sustainable exploitation and conservation of basil genetic resources depend on efficient, low-input methods for linking phytochemical variation to underlying genetic markers, knowledge that remains incomplete for many commercially grown types. This exploratory study evaluated three widely cultivated basil cultivars (Genovese, French, and Purple) using biochemical assays alongside Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers, integrated through multivariate analysis, as a low-cost framework for germplasm characterization relevant to sustainable breeding pipelines. Each cultivar was represented by a single commercial seed accession, from which three biological replicates were sampled for biochemical analysis and one pooled DNA sample was used for marker analysis. The results reflect differences among three sampled accessions rather than replicated cultivar populations. Genovese basil showed the highest essential oil content and rutin/luteolin levels; French basil accumulated the most caffeic and benzoic acid; and purple basil had the highest apigenin content along with elevated coumaric and ferulic acid levels, a pattern suggestive of a possible terpenoid–phenylpropanoid trade-off warranting confirmation in replicated trials. SSR markers revealed 70% polymorphism, grouping French and Genovese together and separating purple as a distinct lineage, a pattern corroborated by 12 accession-specific SNPs in the regions examined. The concordance between biochemical and marker-based differentiation points to a genetic basis for metabolic specialization that could help prioritize cultivars for resource-efficient, marker-assisted selection, reducing the time and inputs needed to develop chemotype-targeted basil varieties. These preliminary associations should be validated in larger, independently replicated germplasm panels, but they offer a practical starting point for integrating biochemical and molecular tools into sustainable basil conservation and breeding programs.

Ethnobotanical documentation and quantitative analysis of edible plant species used by tribal communities in Ernakulam District, Kerala, India

Plants play a crucial role in ensuring food and nutritional security, particularly among tribal and rural communities in India. The present study documents the diversity and utilization of edible plant species among tribal communities in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. A total of 30 species belonging to 18 families were recorded, with Dioscoreaceae as the dominant family. Fruits were the most utilized plant part, followed by leaves, tubers, rhizomes, and seeds. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied to evaluate the significance of the documented species. The UV ranged from 0.17 to 0.86, with Begonia floccifera Bedd., Passiflora foetida L., and Hibiscus hispidissimus Griff. showing the highest values. RFC values reflected similar trends. High ICF values (0.975-0.982) across all categories indicated strong agreement among informants. The study highlights the importance of edible plants in supporting nutrition, food security, and traditional knowledge, emphasizing the need for their conservation and sustainable utilization.

Phenotypic diversity and selection of promising accessions of Cucurbita spp. from Peruvian germplasm

Exploring the phenotypic diversity of clove bean (Ipomoea muricata (L.) Jacq.) landraces for DUS-based morphological traits through multivariate analysis

Clove bean (Ipomoea muricata (L.) Jacq.) is an underutilised vegetable crop with significant potential for strengthening sustainable agriculture and global nutritional security. The conservation and utilisation of clove bean landraces are essential for breeding advancement and global nutritional security, owing to the limited availability and characterisation of germplasm resources. The present study evaluated fifteen clove bean landraces using 26 morpho-physiological, inflorescence, pod and seed descriptors to assess the extent of genetic diversity. Significant variability was observed across all studied traits, indicating the presence of substantial morphological divergence among the landraces. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations among plant type, canopy cover, vine internode length, mature leaf size and pigmentation traits, suggesting coordinated genetic control and the possibility of simultaneous improvement through selection. Floral characteristics, including flower length, flower width, sepal shape and sepal apex, exhibited highly significant positive correlations. Cluster analysis grouped the landraces into four distinct clusters, reflecting varying levels of divergence and identifying unique landraces such as Im-1 and Im-11. Principal component analysis indicated that the first six principal components had eigenvalues greater than one and together explained 88.95 % of the total variation, with PC1 contributing 39.86 %. Floral dimensional traits and vegetative vigour were the primary contributors to divergence. The identified landraces provide valuable genetic resources for future breeding, conservation and crop improvement programmes in clove bean.