Pteridium aquilinum, commonly known as bracken, is a fern species distributed in temperate and subtropical regions. In Iran, it primarily grows in isolated populations in the northern regions, and its genetic structure, gene flow and population genetics are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate gene flow and genetic diversity in 11 geographical populations of P. aquilinum in Iran for the first time. A total of 133 plants from different populations were examined, and both morphological and genetic diversity were assessed using start codon targeted (SCoT) molecular markers. Results showed genetic and morphological admixture within populations, likely due to the high mobility of dispersal units in this species. Significant genetic differences were found among populations, but a high degree of genetic variability was observed within individual populations. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between geographical and genetic distances, indicating gene flow between populations. The assignment test revealed genetic admixture among plants from different populations, and Gst analysis of SCoT loci yielded Nm = 0.95, confirming gene flow among the populations. Overall, this study demonstrates that the Iranian populations of P. aquilinum maintain substantial gene flow, which may contribute to the long-term survival and adaptability of this species in the region.

Citrus aurantium also known as sour orange or bitter orange is among important Citrus species of the angiosperm subfamily Aurantioideae of the Rutaceae family. Due to importance of Citrus species as the source of food and medicine, they have been subject of been extensive genetic studies throughout the world. Sour orange plants are cultivated in the north and south parts of Iran but we have very limited genetic data on them. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim to study the population genetics of these important fruit plants in the country and provide information on their genetic structure and diversity. We used SCoT molecular markers in 61 plants of 12 sour orange populations. We obtained 33 SCoT bands of which one to two private bands were observed in populations 1 and 5. Genetic diversity parameters determine in the studied populations revealed a low to moderate genetic diversity. Genetic grouping of the populations by UPGMA dendrogram and multidimensional scaling identified two major genetic groups. The studied populations differed significantly in their genetic content as revealed by AMOVA. Distinguishing SCoT loci are identified by Neis'and Gst as well as DAPC analysis. Some of the SCoT loci were significantly associated with geographical variables as revealed by RDA and LFMM analyses.

African yam bean (AYB) is an underutilized legume with significant potential for food security in sub-Saharan Africa, yet limited research exists on optimizing its seed yield through selective breeding. In this study, the seed yield (SY) performance and relative importance of some yield-related traits on SY in AYB were assessed. One hundred and ninety-six accessions of AYB were evaluated for 2 years in three agro-ecologies of Nigeria. The experimental design was a 14 × 14 lattice design with three replicates. Data were recorded on SY and 13 SY-related traits. Positive significant genotypic correlations were found between SY and 11 of these traits. Pod length (PL) had a negative significant relationship (rg = −0.44**) with SY. Path coefficient analysis identified days to maturity (DM), pod weight (PW), shelling percentage (SP), number of seeds per pod (NSPD), 100-seed weight (HSW) and seed thickness (ST) as traits with positive direct effects on SY. The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction analysis revealed highly significant accession, environment, accession × environment interaction and interaction principal components effects for SY. Accessions TSs-119, TSs-101, 138A, TSs-4, TSs-157A and TSs-61 were identified as superior and stable, and should be considered for further breeding purposes. Selection criteria for improved SY in AYB should include DM, PW, SP, NSPD, HSW and ST. The identified stable, high-yielding accessions and key yield-related traits provide a framework for accelerating AYB improvement across diverse agro-ecologies.

Melia azedarach L. commonly called Maha Neem is an economically and industrially important tree species with global significance. Although species possess versatile importance worldwide, information on reproductive biology and breeding system is scarce and limited for eastern coastal plain of India. Therefore, current study provides a detailed report on reproductive biology of M. azedarach. Maha Neem was found to bear violet to whitish violet, slightly fragrant, 14.99 ± 0.05 mm. long and 17.01 ± 0.08 mm. wide flowers. This tree commenced opening of floral buds during March and continued until May with a peak during March-end. The anthesis of species peaked between 08:00 and 10:00 am, which coincides with insect activity. Anthers were observed to dehisce during or shortly before anthesis; however, stigma started receptivity before anthesis and continued invitation up to 12 h after anthesis. Pollen viability ranged from 96.67 ± 1.6% to 98.26 ± 1.2 at the time of anthesis; after that decreased rapidly. Pollen: ovule ratio of 1096.38 ± 108.70 indicated the possibility of autogamy. The breeding system of M. azedarach revealed that fruit sets under natural pollination (NP) were significantly higher than Xenogamy. However, substantial difference was not reported in fruit set percentage under natural pollination and Autogamy, which is strong evidence in favour of self-pollination. Moreover, Maha-Neem is entomophilous with frequent visits by Apis and Syrphid flies. Current findings will be helpful in designing potent conservation strategies and planning successful breeding programmes.

This study investigated the factors influencing growers in the selection of seed suppliers in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. A total of 385 grower were selected using simple random sampling method. A mixed logit regression model was used to the analysis data that have 1284 observation. The result reveal that high seed purity was negatively related to the selection of alternative supplier. As the rating of seed purity increased, the probability of selecting very high-quality seed suppliers also increased. The availability of tree seeds during the desired time period had a significant influence. Higher perceived availability, categorized as high or very high, decreased the likelihood of promptly obtaining seeds from suppliers compared to when the seeds were not available. The evaluation rating of germination increases the probability of choosing suppliers with high or very high germination rates in the respective category. Growers with more experience are more likely to choose private enterprise suppliers. The implementation of appropriate quarantine measures has a positive influence on supplier selection for the groups AFE and EFD-CEC. Training in tree seed collection reduces the likelihood of choosing enterprise and AFE suppliers. Moreover, the successful production of a greater number of tree species in the nursery positively influences the probability of sourcing from enterprise suppliers. This analysis highlights the significance of seed purity, germination, quarantine measures, and the number of species produced, as factors that influence the likelihood of selecting alternative seed suppliers.

Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br. ex Schult is a highly demanded antidiabetic medicinal herb native to India. There are no improved varieties available and the plant is still collected from the wild and therefore it is important to estimate the genetic variability and heritability parameters for devising appropriate crop improvement strategy. The present study was undertaken to assess the genetic variability, heritability, character association and path analysis for growth, yield and bioactive traits in 35 accessions of G. sylvestre collected from Indian South Peninsular region. Genetic variability parameters: genotypic variance, phenotypic variance, genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), broad-sense heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance as per cent over mean of yield and quality related characters were computed to understand the extent of variability present. High levels of GCV and PCV (>20%) were observed for most of the traits. Leaf length, leaf area, leaf yield and gymnemagenin content reported with high heritability (>60%) and genetic advance over mean (>30%) suggest that variation in these traits is influenced predominantly by the genetic factors making selection more effective in improving them. The correlation and path analysis studies highlighted the importance of selecting leaf length, leaf breadth, leaf area index, fresh leaf yield and gymnemagenin content for improving dry leaf yield of G. sylvestre. The study also identified promising morphotypes (IIHR-GS-27 and IIHR-GS-9) and chemotypes (IIHR-GS-44) which can be utilized for the commercial exploitation or can serve as pre-breeding materials in the crop improvement programmes.

Understanding genetic structure and chromosomal characteristics is essential for developing effective breeding programmes and improving plant species. This research compared karyotypic features of 10 plant populations of Populus euphratica from various regions of Iran. Fresh roots grown from cuttings of the populations were used to get metaphase cells. Then several chromosomal parameters were recorded and analysed using a nested statistical model. All the studied populations were diploid, with 2n = 38 chromosomes, consisting of medium and sub-medium chromosome types. Significant differences (P ⩽ 0.01) were observed between the plant populations in chromosomal dimensions and arm ratios, suggesting chromosomal rearrangements. Chromosome lengths in the studied populations ranged from 0.69 to 3.38 μm. Intra-chromosomal index (A1) showed clear asymmetrical differences between the plant populations. Furthermore, using Stebbins's standards, the studied populations classified as 1A and 1B classes, demonstrated more asymmetry than those categorized as 1B and 2B, respectively. Cytological differences between the plant populations, collected from different parts of the country, showed that chromosome structural rearrangements are responsible for the speciation and adaption of the species against the mentioned variable ecological conditions and play a key role in response to diverse climatic and geographical conditions.

Panax L., renowned as ginseng genus, is a famous medicinal group of family Araliaceae. Within this genus, the taxa of Panax bipinnatifidus complex are mainly distributed in Himalayas and Hengduan Mountain areas. Due to the complex evolutionary history and short-term rapid radiation, the relationships among species within the complex have not been clearly resolved, and the taxa identification is difficult due to the intermediate morphological traits. This study aimed to use the available restriction-site associated DNA sequence data from 29 individuals of P. bipinnatifidus complex to mine high-polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, with the goal of evaluating their utility in taxa identification. Eleven polymorphic SSR loci were ultimately selected and validated through polymerase chain reactions amplifying across 63 individuals of P. bipinnatifidus complex and 13 individuals of three outgroup species. The subsequent genetic diversity analysis uncovered 76 alleles in total, ranging from 5 to 15 per locus. Observed heterozygosity spanned 0.241–0.512, while expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.345 and 0.644. The genetic kinship analysis revealed a sister relationship between Panax zingiberensis and Panax vietnamensis. The analysis result also supported the classification of samples from Hunan and Hubei provinces into a single genetic unit within the P. bipinnatifidus complex. These newly developed SSR markers will facilitate the identification of wild ginseng plants.

The genetic diversity of Cyclanthera pedata was assessed through agro-morphological, mineral composition and biochemical traits. Field surveys across India documented its wide ecological distribution (18.66°–31.02°N, 78.05°–83.27°E, 131–3665 m AMSL) in Andhra Pradesh and northwest Himalayan region. Field evaluations were conducted during Kharif 2021 and 2022 at ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora (1250 m AMSL). Significant genotypic variation was observed in fruit yield (195–1505 g/plant), fruit numbers (36–364 per plant), chlorophyll content (0.49–2.61 μg/g) and antioxidant activities (16.02–39.04 mM Trolox equivalent/g DW). Notable genotypes included RK-40 (highest yield of 1505 g/plant), RK-01 (early flowering) and RK-33 (early fruiting). High coefficients of variation (>23%) were noted in total chlorophyll, carotenoids and FRAP values. Genotype RK-42 excelled in antioxidant activities and carotenoids. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the germplasm into four clusters based on critical traits independent of geographic origin. In contrast, principal component analysis identified traits like polyphenols, antioxidants, seed weight and fruit yield as significant contributors to phenotypic variation. The biplot revealed relationships between traits, such as positive correlations between fruit yield, fruit and pulp weight, and biochemical traits like DPPH and ABTS. Genotypes such as IC 430006, IC 356007, IC 393261, IC 393308, UKAl 1 and IC 361297 display distinct profiles. These findings highlight critical traits for breeding and conservation efforts, particularly for enhancing fruit yield and biochemical attributes in C. pedata germplasm.

This study investigates the impact of environmental factors and genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI) on the expression of maydis leaf blight (MLB) resistance in a diverse maize germplasm comprising 359 genotypes. Extensive field trials were conducted, involving artificial inoculations and disease scoring across two locations over two years. Using genotype and genotype–environment (GGE) biplot analysis based on the site regression model (SREG), we identified stable MLB-resistant 10 donors with consistent genotypic responses. These inbred lines, which consistently exhibited disease scores of ⩽3 across locations, are recommended as potential parents for breeding MLB-resistant varieties. Furthermore, the identification of a non-crossover interaction and high correlations among testing locations allowed us to define a single mega-environment for the initial screening of MLB resistance in a large set of maize germplasm. This study suggests that initial screenings can be efficiently conducted in one representative location, with validation of resistant lines at multiple sites during advanced breeding stages. This approach optimizes the use of land, labour and resources in MLB resistance testing.

Exploration expeditions were conducted for 2 consecutive years in the subtropical region of North India to collect the untapped genetic diversity of Bael. A total of 15 accessions having unique traits of horticultural importance were collected and conserved in the field gene bank. Conserved germplasm was characterized for 3 consecutive years. Considerable variability was found in the morphological characters and biochemical traits. Fruit length ranged from 10.15 to 17. 68 cm, fruit circumference varied from 33.45 to 56.32 cm and fruit weight varied from 0.71 to 2.48 kg. Shell thickness was found to vary from 2.11 to 3.62 mm, whereas shell weight varied from 230 to 580 g/fruit. Number of seed sacs per fruit was found to vary from 11.17 to 15.72 and number of seeds per fruit varied from 68.00 to 113.17. Minimum seed weight was 7.04 g/fruit, whereas maximum 14.55 g/fruit. Ample variability was found in fruit yield of collected germplasm which ranged from 18.85 to 39.26 kg per plant at 16–18 years of age. Distinctive variability in biochemical traits was also found. Total soluble solids in fruit pulp were 34.92–41.13% Brix, total sugars 11.49–22.16%, acidity 0.36–0.53%, vitamin ‘C’ 9.89–17.20 mg/100 g, total carotenoids 1.43–2.40 mg/100 g and total tannins 2.50–3.58%. Available genetic diversity may be utilized for crop improvement programme.

Asiatic cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) has evolved in the Indian subcontinent and is known for its adaptability to low-input management conditions. In the present study, 300 diverse G. arboreum lines, including 100 Nandyal arboreum breeding lines (NAB), 132 Arboreum germplasm collections (AGC) and 68 long-linted arboreum genotypes (LLA), were evaluated for fibre quality to assess the diversity among them and to identify promising genotypes with desirable fibre traits. Significant variations were observed among the genotypes for the studied fibre-quality traits. Principal component analysis showed that the traits micronaire (Mic) and elongation percentage (E%) followed by upper half mean length (UHML) and bundle tenacity (tenacity) were the most significant contributors to variation. Cluster analysis based on the Euclidian distance method showed 16 clusters among 300 G. arboreum genotypes. The genotypes in cluster 4 have desirable UHML, tenacity and UI (uniformity index) traits, and cluster 12 has Mic and E% traits. Furthermore, the number of genotypes with desirable fibre-quality traits was found to be higher in the AGC group than in the LLA and NAB groups. The trait tenacity followed by the UHML showed relatively higher Shannon–Weiner diversity index values across different genotypic groups. Based on the superior performance, the genotypes PA 847, PA 809, PA 837, PA 863, NDLA 3147-2, NDLA 2974 and NDLA 3081 were found to be having desirable fibre traits. The identified promising genotypes are valuable genetic resources for improving fibre quality in G. arboreum cotton.

The present study aimed to utilize maize landraces from the North Eastern Hill Region (NEHR) of India for hybrid development, addressing the absence of established heterotic groups for maize in this region. Eighty inbreds derived from diverse local landraces were test-crossed to two testers LM-13 and LM-14. The 160 testcrosses were evaluated over two seasons using an alpha lattice design. Heterotic grouping studies utilizing BLUP values, included analyses of specific combining ability (SCA), specific and general combining ability (HSGCA), and GCA of multiple traits (HGCAMT). Additionally, 34 SSR markers were employed to group the inbreds based on genetic distance (SSR_GD). Breeding efficiency tests indicated that the conventional SCA and HSGCA methods were the most effective for heterotic grouping, enabling classification of the overlapping inbreds into the corresponding tester groups. Validation involving 10 inbreds – 5 from each tester group crossed in a full diallel fashion – revealed that gene action was predominantly non-additive, a prerequisite for heterosis breeding. The highest-performing hybrids exhibited better parent heterosis (BPH) ranging from 75 to 384%, demonstrating significant yield advantages. These hybrids combined moderately divergent parents with contrasting female and male GCA values and BPH was significantly associated with SCA effects, providing predictive insights for optimizing hybrid development. The findings of this study highlight the potential of NEHR germplasm for developing high-yielding hybrids tailored to local conditions. These hybrids would particularly benefit smallholding farmers practicing shifting cultivation by enabling cost-effective production and providing economic benefits.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni stores over 20 glycosides in leaves and stem, the primary sweetening compounds are stevioside and rebaudioside A. Stevioside is 250–300 times and rebaudioside A is 350–450 times sweeter than sucrose. These glycosides can be substituted for free sugars being used in food and beverage industries. Due to limitations in the improvement of stevia through conventional breeding, induced polyploidy technique is a quick way to achieve enhanced leaf yield with increased secondary metabolites production. Presented study was conducted to develop genetic resources by inducing polyploidy and characterizing it. The apical meristem of 30-day-old seedlings was treated with colchicine solutions, ranging from 0.05 to 0.30%. Flow-cytometric analysis confirmed 13 tetraploids and one triploid genotype. Tetraploid plants showed significant changes in plant height, had larger leaf area, thicker leaves and higher levels of stevioside and rebaudioside A content, as compared to control. The triploid plant also surpassed the diploid control in number of branches per plant, leaf thickness, leaf area and fresh stem weight. The tetraploid line (ST 6) had 65.7% higher rebaudioside A content compared to diploid control. Correlation study revealed that leaf area and leaf thickness had an inverse correlation with rebaudioside A content. These newly developed polyploid genotypes offer valuable genetic resources for future stevia breeding programmes and as polyploid varieties for commercial cultivation.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main staples in the Peruvian Andes. Phenotypic diversity is extremely high in terms of plant morphology, grain colour, grain size and uses. However, little is known about the genetic component of the Peruvian maize. Genotyping-by-sequencing was used, for the first time, to infer the genetic diversity and population structure of 25 accessions of maize collected from two ecoregions of the departments of the Peruvian highlands, Cajamarca and Huancavelica, to provide a basis for the conservation and breeding of this crop genetic resource. A total of 29,332 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified along all 10 chromosomes of maize. STRUCTURE analysis revealed two clusters (open-pollinated cultivars and landraces). Principal coordinate analysis and our dendrogram showed that these accessions of Peruvian maize do not group based on their geographic origin but on their improvement status, however, this is weakly supported. Average genetic diversity was very high (0.35). Analysis of molecular variance showed a reduced variation between populations (2.85%) and indicated that variability within populations is 97.15%. The lowest population divergence was zero for populations of Colcabamba versus Pichos and Daniel Hernandez versus Colcabamba and the highest population divergence (0.041) was observed for population Cajamarca versus Santiago de Tucuma. As expected, FIS values were positive. Additional samples from other Andean and west coast Peruvian localities are needed to provide a better understanding of the genetic components of this important crop aiming to develop a modern breeding programme of maize in Peru.

This study investigated the combining ability, heterosis and heterotic grouping of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines to enhance hybrid performance and productivity. Twenty-four hybrids were developed by crossing eight inbred lines with three testers, and their performance was evaluated for two years at Banaras Hindu University's agricultural research farm. Data on yield and yield-attributing traits were collected from selectively centred competitive plants in each row, avoiding border plants to reduce errors. Biometrical techniques, cluster analysis, and statistical tools were employed to measure general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), and standard heterosis, providing insights into hybrid performance. Analysis of variance revealed significant mean square values for GCA and SCA across most traits studied. Various methods were utilized, including SCA effects, HGCAMT (Heterosis Grouping by Combining Ability of Multiple Traits), and HSGCA (Heterotic Grouping based on Specific and General Combining Ability). The study identified HUZM-242 × CML-286 and HUZM-53 × CML-286 as crosses displaying higher grain yield compared to the check line DKC 7074 and exhibiting positive heterosis. The findings offer valuable guidance for maize breeding programmes by accurately identifying heterotic groups, enabling breeders to select inbred lines more likely to produce high-performing hybrids. This targeted selection reduces the number of necessary cross-breeding trials, saving time and resources. Additionally, hybrids derived from crosses between lines from different heterotic groups exhibit superior performance due to higher heterosis. These conclusions support advancements in maize breeding strategies, ultimately contributing to agricultural sustainability through increased productivity, resource efficiency, and economic benefits for farmers.

Kokum [Garcinia indica (Thouars) Choisy] is a multi-purpose tree with culinary, cosmetics and pharmaceutical uses found popular in Konkan region of India. ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station, Thrissur made a systematic exploration and collection missions on kokum over a period from 1987–2004 and collected 31 accessions from various parts of Konkan region to characterize them using morphological characters and also to investigate their flowering and fruiting behaviour. Totally, 85 trees planted in Field Gene Bank in which only 67 trees (23 accessions) survived during field establishment. Among them, 32 (47.8%) were male and remaining 25 identified as female (37.3%) and 10 as co-sexual (14.9%). Fruit bearing ability noticed only in both female and co-sexual trees with huge variation in fruits. Morphological characterization of 33 trees with fruiting (23 accessions) for 35 morphological traits revealed presence of considerable amount of variation among them on basis of CV%. Highest positive correlation observed between fresh seed weight and fresh kernel weight (0.92). Cluster analysis formed four major clusters with Cluster I and II comprising male/bisexual genotypes and Cluster III and IV with female genotypes and it clearly distinguished male/bisexual genotypes from female ones. PCA analysis accounted 65.6% of genetic variation present among accessions by first three most informative PCs. Superior accessions identified for important traits will be more useful in industrial aspects of preparing kokum butter and juice. Further, seasonal difference identified in fruiting and maturity of fruits well-before onset of monsoon may be exploited by kokum industries for drying and processing of fruits.

Waterlogging (WL) stress drastically impacts sesame crops, making them highly susceptible by hindering growth and development. Hence, identifying and characterizing the promising trait is necessary to conserve germplasm exploitation during WL stress conditions. The current study emphasized comprehensively screening 148 accessions by treating 48 hours of WL stress in sesame crops. In addition, the trait association and morphological characteristics were attributed to identify tolerant and susceptible germplasm, which can be further utilized in crop improvement and breeding programmes. Therefore, the present study screened the genotypes by assessing morphological traits, including shoot height (SH), root length (RL), SPAD measurements and branches per plant. The observation reveals that RL, SH and SPAD significantly varied in sesame accessions. Hence, accession EC377024 and IC129289 showed highly tolerant and susceptible behaviour. The statistical analysis, including G × E interactions, Pearson’s correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA), supports the selected trait that can be used to screen the WL susceptible crops. The genotypes identified in this study have the potential to aid in sesame crop improvement.

Additive main effects and multiplicative interactive effect stability model (AMMI) was used in the present study to understand the impact of season × genotype interaction (SGI) on pod yield and its attributing traits. A total of 86 determinate growth habit type French bean germplasm were evaluated in randomized block design with two replications in three different seasons. Significant variability was observed for genotypes, seasons and SGI. The component ‘seasons’ contributed more than 50% of variability to pod yield, pod number per plant and days to flowering (DFL), and ‘genotypes’ accounted more than 50% of phenotypic variation for pod length and pod width. The SGI signals were observed for pod yield per plant, number of pods per plant, pod weight and DFL, and SGI accounted for more than 20% phenotypic variability for all traits. We identified IIHR-155 and IIHR-11 as the promising genotypes across three seasons based on their position on AMMI biplots, stability indices combined with high trait mean, estimates of best linear unbiased prediction and minimal crossover interaction. The results from the present study are highly useful for utilization in crop improvement programmes to evolve the season-specific varieties and varieties with wide adaptability in French bean.