Agro-morphological Characterization Research Articles

Genetic Variability and Diversity of the Agro-Morphological Traits of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) Germplasm in Malaysia

Aims: The main objective of this study is to quantify the genetic variability and relationship among the quantitative traits of the torch ginger germplasm collected across Peninsular Malaysia.
 Study design: Initially, the experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) but there were unequal number of replications due to limited planting materials.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Research Station, Jerangau, Terengganu, Malaysia on latitude 04°57.704’N and longitude 103°11.007’E. Data on agro-morphological characterization were collected for three years from June 2010 until May 2013.
 Methodology: A total of 57 torch ginger accessions were collected from various wild/ cultivated sources from seven states of Peninsular Malaysia namely Terengganu (19), Perak (15), Kedah (7), Johor (6), Pahang (5), Kelantan (3) and Melaka (2). The collection was planted in 2009 and maintained as living collection. At three months old torch ginger plantlets were transplanted into 20 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm holes spaced at 100 cm diameter of culvert. The spacing of culvert between rows and within rows were 2 m respectively. Initially, the experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) but there were unequal number of replications due to limited planting materials. Data on agro-morphological characterization were collected for three years from June 2010 until May 2013. All the 57 accessions were characterized according to descriptors list of genera under Zingiberaceae family with some modifications. A total of 6 qualitative and 16 quantitative descriptors were used. The mean values of each quantitative trait data were computed and subjected to statistical analysis to assess the amount of genetic variation using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The ANOVA was using PROC GLM of SAS 9.4 software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Genotypic coefficients of variation and error variance were estimated using PROC VARCOMP method Type I of SAS 9.4 software. Phenotypic coefficients of variation, heritability and genetic advance were calculated. Pearson correlation coefficient was determined using SAS 9.4 for comparing the relationship among the different traits. The morphological traits were analyzed by numerical taxonomic methods via cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) which was done using NTSYS-PC Version 2.1. PCA based on 16 quantitative and six qualitative traits was performed to determine the genetic variation in the torch ginger accessions. The cluster and PCA were performed to reveal clustering and grouping pattern of torch ginger accessions. Euclidean distance coefficients were estimated for all pairs of accessions, which was then used to present cluster analysis.
 Results: Analysis of variance indicated that highly significant variation exists among the 57 accessions for most of the traits. The 57 accessions of torch ginger showed high variability for both qualitative and quantitative traits. Among the quantitative traits, the highest CV was observed from number of spikes with the value of 44.25%. The genetic coefficient of variation for 16 morphological traits ranged from 9.76 to 45.86%. Broad sense heritability estimates varied from low to high. Maximum estimates of broad sense heritability were recorded in bract length (80.16%), bud peduncle length (78.74%), number of leaves (75.66%), number of stems per clump (67.99%), inflorescence peduncle length (67.60%) and bud width (65.11%). The genetic advance (GA) in percent of mean was recorded from 11.82 to 67.97%. Besides that, positive correlation coefficient was obtained between some traits. Generally, the genotypes groups were related with morphological characteristics among the accessions.
 Conclusion: Considering the distribution pattern, vegetative and yield performance of accessions, it is suggested that accessions from cluster VII (KAN022, KAN047 and KAN048) should be selected for future breeding program. These accessions possessed the highest peduncle length that could influence the yield in terms of bud size. Furthermore, the classification and divergence between torch ginger accessions analyzed in this study may assist in conserving plant materials both in-situ and ex-situ.

Agromorphological Characterization and Nutritional Value of Traditional Almond Cultivars Grown in the Central-Western Iberian Peninsula

In this study, 24 traditional almond cultivars grown in the central-western Iberian Peninsula, all of them clearly in decline or close to extinction, were characterized from the agromorphological and chemical points of view. A total of 40 agromorphological and chemical descriptors, mainly defined by the IPGRI and the UPOV, were used to describe the flowers, leaves, fruits and the trees themselves over three consecutive years (2015–2017). Some of the cultivars showed distinctive and interesting agronomical characteristics from a commercial point of view, such as high yields and high quality fruit. This was the case of the almond cultivars called “Gorda José” and “Marcelina”. Their fruits were quite heavy (nuts: >9.1 g; kernels: >1.9 g), with very low percentages of double kernels (<3%) and high nutritional value (>50% lipids; >21% proteins). The results of the PCA and cluster analysis showed that agromorphological and chemical analysis can provide reliable information on the variability in almond genotypes. This work constitutes an important step in the conservation of genetic almond resources in the central-western Iberian Peninsula.

Agro-morphological characterization of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Degener) reveals elite genotypes for a breeding program in Colombia

Yellow passion fruit cultivation in Colombia lacks detailed genetic studies that allow the establishment of intraspecific variability as a basis for a breeding program. The aim of this research was to establish the genetic relationships among accessions of different geographic origins through an agro-morphological characterization. This research was carried out in the municipality of Palestina (Caldas) at the Luker farm located at 1050 m a.s.l. Fifty-two accessions from Colombia (47), Ecuador (3), Brazil (1), and Costa Rica (1) were characterized with 45 agro-morphological descriptors complemented with phytosanitary evaluations. The quantitative descriptors (25) were analyzed by variance decomposition and principal components (PCA), and the qualitative descriptors (18) were analyzed with the multiple correspondence factor analysis (MCFA). The classification analysis by the neighbor-joining (NJ) method was used for both types of descriptors. PCA results showed six components explaining 71.6% of the total variance that are mainly associated with descriptors related to the size of the flower (tube, nectar camera, and operculum) and weight of the fruit (pulp, shell, and juice content). Thirteen qualitative descriptors were selected, and four factors (44.38% inertia) were identified, mainly associated with pubescence and anthocyanins in the bract, petiole, leaf, and ripe fruit color. The NJ classification analysis showed no relationship between accessions by geographic origin, and the distance between individuals of the same accession was higher than among accessions for both types of descriptors. Thrips (Neohydatothrips signifier) and scab (Cladosporium cladosporioides) were the pests with the highest incidence in the accessions. Six elite accessions were identified according to the selection index with outstanding fruit quality characteristics, yield, and tolerance to phytosanitary problems. The high intra-accession variability and traits of certain accessions are the basis for future breeding programs to obtain more productive and tolerant cultivars.

Agro-morphological Characterization of Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids Under Acid Soils in Two Contrasting Environments

Acidic soils cover 75 to 80% of the arable soils in the humid forest areas of Cameroon, causing maize yield losses of around 69%. Sixty-four accessions of maize hybrids were developped from “Line × Tester” crosses between twenty tropical inbred lines with three testers (Cam inbgp117, 88069 and 9450) and between testers themselves, and one acid tolerant open pollinated variety (ATP-SR-Y). Those inbred breeding lines were collected from CIMMYT, IITA and IRAD and the derived single hybrids were characterized using agro-morphological maize’s descriptors on a completely randomized block design in two contrasting environments (Nkoemvone and Nkolbisson). The data collected was subjected to multivariate analyses. The Principal Component Analysis showed the first two components being 73.60% and 78.99% of the total variation in Nkoemvone and Nkolbisson, respectively. Furthermore, grain yield showed a positive and highly significant correlation with the plant emergence rate in Nkoemvone (r = 0.61, P < 0.001) and Nkolbisson (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). Hierarchical Clustering Analysis indicated that these accessions forms four distinct groups, where each of the groups showed clear specific features for which the performance differs from that of the others in Nkoemvone and Nkolbisson. Characters such as plant emergence rate, prolificacy, ear appearance and grain yield have been found as important phenotypic markers for assessing agromorphological diversity of maize hybrids. These traits should necessarily be considered in maize breeding programs for varietal discrimination and formulation of cores collection of maize tolerant to aluminum and manganese toxicities in the soil.

Survey and Collection of Maize Cultivars in Benin and Evaluation of Their Agro-Morphological Characteristics

Seeds are the most important input in agricultural production. Quality seed determines the yield of the crop and contribute to nearly 30% of crop productivity. The present study aims at surveying and collecting maize accessions in the township of North, Centre and South Benin and for their agro-morphological characterization. To this end, 32 accessions were collected from 11 townships of Benin. The villages for maize collection were chosen with the help of the heads of the association of producers in each township. The cultivars collected were put in different envelopes properly labelled. In order to evaluate the agro-morphological characteristics of the cultivars, four experiments were set up in Bassila, Glazoue, N'Dali and Adjohoun. Eighteen (18) quantitative parameters were measured at each site. The statistical analyses for the different quantitative characters showed that there was a great diversity between cultivars. The significant differences (p< 0.001) between cultivars for the different quantitative traits confirmed the diversity that existed between these cultivars. The observed diversity among cultivars were due to plant height, developmental life cycle, ear and yield parameters. These descriptors are therefore the most important to explain the variability among cultivars. Positive correlations were observed among traits. Thus, the cultivars of great high had large crown, long panicle branching, higher ear insertion height, long leaves and an average number of leaves above the ear. Cultivars with long panicles showed large and long spikes, higher panicle branching and a high number of primary panicle branches

Agro-Morphological Characterization, Genetic Variation and Heritability Analysis of Rice Landraces (Oryza sativa L.) of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India

The present study describes characterization of 35 rice landraces collected from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh. High degree of variations was observed for morphological traits. Mean plant height of 127.39 cm, panicle length (25.7 cm), flag leaf length (40.54 cm), flag leaf width (2.10 cm), blade leaf length (58.66 cm), blade leaf width (1.82 cm), ligule length (2.14 cm), test weight (2.44 g) and mean grain yield per hectare of (18.65 q/ha) were recorded respectively. The cluster analysis grouped 35 landraces into 4 clusters (67% dissimilarity) in which Jhum and wetland landraces formed distinct clusters. The first three PCA extracted accounted for 81.64% of the total variation based on 12 phenotypic traits. A significant positive association was observed among the traits, and the genetic variability computation revealed higher PCV than GCV. Highest PCV (43.61%), GCV (43.3%), heritability (98.44%) and GAM (88.43%) were recorded for grain yield. The high variability with promising yield potential among the Arunachal Pradesh landraces is expected to be significance immense significance for rice breeding programmes.

Agromorphological Characterization of Introgression Lines Derived from Wild and Exotic Sorghum Germplasm to Climate Change Challenges

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is vitally important for food security in semi-arid West Africa. The introgression of wild- and high transpiration efficiency genotypes may contribute genes for abiotic stress tolerance or novel traits. Characterizing the introgressed lines can help researchers in the process of varietal improvement. The objectives of this study are (i) To learn if introgression of wild sorghum (CWR) and high transpiration efficiency (HTE) lines into a very early maturing (photoperiod insensitive) local land-race variety can create useful variation for grain yield in drought-prone Sahelian environments, (ii) To determine if grain yield advantages (and putative drought tolerance traits) obtained from introgression of CWR and HTE germplasm are expressed differently in moderately to highly moisture-limited environments, and (iii) To understand the relationship between putative drought tolerance traits. These populations were developed from crosses between the CSM63E (Jakumbe, a high grains quality variety) and two wild parents (accessions) and five high transpiration efficiency (TE) sorghum accessions. Phenotyping was conducted using an alpha lattice design with three replications in two environments for agronomic traits (grain yield and components), flowering time and physiological traits (stay-green, chlorophyll content and lodging). A total of 669 BC1F5 progenies were developed. Genetic variation for grain yield and putative drought tolerant traits were evaluated. Both populations derived from wild parents exhibited in Cinzana a grain yield (>300 g/m2) greater than CSM63E (245 g/m2). In Bema, more than 75% of the progenies of all populations indicated a chlorophyll content at physiological maturity (>30 SPAD) higher than CSM63E (20 SPAD) chlorophyll content. The estimated broad sense heritability was generally high (≥0.50) for all traits. The results also showed a very significant interaction between genotype and environment for grain yield, flowering time, chlorophyll content, stay green and lodging. There was a strong correlation between stay green and chlorophyll content (0.60) on the one hand and between stay green and lodging (0.48) on the other. This great variability could help improve the grain yield of sorghum for farmers in the Sahelian zone.

Molecular Characterization Using Microsatellites of Bambara Nut (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Vigna subterranea&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; [L] Verdcourt) Landraces Cultivated in Burkina Faso

Voandzou is a seed legume cultivated in Burkina Faso with significant nutritional potential. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of Bambara nut cultivated in Burkina Faso using microsatellite markers. For the study, fifteen SSRs markers were used for molecular characterization of 90 Bambara nut landraces from three agro-climatic zones of Burkina Faso. All markers were 100% polymorphic with an average value of 4.81 for effective alleles. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.654 to 0.867 with a mean of 0.775. Dendrogram classified the accessions in four mixed groups independently of the three agro-climatic zones. This distribution is consistent with the results on the agro-morphological characterization of the same landraces. This information was served as a basic model for breeding and conservation programs of V. subterranea in Burkina Faso.

Agro-morphological characterization of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions at north-western part of Bangladesh

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), grown throughout the world for millennia. It is a multipurpose agricultural crop that can provide food, fuel and fibre. An agro-morphological characterization based on 13 traits of 26 flax accessions was carried out during the Rabi season 2017-2018 at the Agricultural Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Rangpur. The field experiment was laid out in a randomized completed block design having four replications. Flax seeds were sown in 3.0 m × 0.6 m plot with continuous line sowing (two lines). The seed germination (%) and vigour indices of all flax accessions varied from 44.1 – 77.7 and 44.1 – 119.4, respectively. A significant variation in all growth and yield attributing descriptors was observed except 1000-seed weight of flax. Among the accessions, BD-10708 possessed the highest seed yield (182.9 g plant–1) and yield attributing descriptors viz., number of capsules plant–1 (142) and seeds plant–1 (513) of flax. The performance of the local accesson Ulipur was observed poor compared to some of the test accessions of flax. Some of these flax accessions could be used as breeding materials in varietal developmental and improvement programmes with higher yield potentials of flax in Bangladesh.

Agro-Morphological Characterization of Three Cultivated Legumes: Two Varieties of Soybean (Glycine max L.) and One Variety of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

To contribute to the restoration of tropical soils fertility, the agro-morphological and yield characteristics of three cultivated legumes [two beige seeded varieties of soybean (Glycine max L.): one from Côte d’Ivoire (BVCI) and the other, from Benin (BVB) and a green seeded mungbean variety (Vigna radiata L) from Côte d'Ivoire (MVCI)] were studied. The legumes seeds were sown and the resulting plants were monitored until harvest. The data relating to the plants phenological, morphological and yield parameters were statistically processed through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA 1). The results of phenological observations indicated that the mungbean (MVCI) was earlier than both soybean varieties (BVCI followed by BVB). Morphologically, plants of the late soybean varieties (BVCI and BVB) were higher, more branched with a large wingspan, and produced more panicles than the early variety of mungbean (MVCI). In addition, mungbean variety (MVCI) produced long tapered pods containing small seeds while the soybean varieties produced shorter but wider pods containing large seeds. In terms of yied, both late soybean varieties (BVCI and BVB) produced large dry biomass, more pods with higher seed yield, dry weight and 100 seed weight than the early variety of mungbean (MVCI).&#x0D; Significance: The precocious nature of mungbean makes it an important plant for the fight against climate change, especially against drought. Due to their good branching and significant plant spread, both late varieties of soybean (BVCI and BVB) have high potential of being selected for soil protection and weed control, as well as for food production because of their high pod yield, seed and dry biomass.

Agro-Morphological and Biochemical Characterization of Wild Prunus spinosa L. Subsp. dasyphylla (Schur) Domin Genotypes Naturally Grown in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

In this study, agro-morphological, sensory and biochemical characteristics of 23 plum genotypes belonging to Prunus spinosa L. subsp. dasyphylla (Schur) Domin growing wild in the West Black Sea Region in Turkey were investigated. Agro-morphological, sensory and biochemical properties of genotypes were highly different from each other. Principal component analysis was performed to determine the correlation between these properties and genotypes. The variation in the study was determined to be 63.5% in agro-morphological properties, 53.8% in organic acids and 46% in phenolic compounds. In terms of fruit weight, 14BLM08 genotype (38.42 g) was determined to be superior to other genotypes. The fruit firmness value, which is important in the storage of fruits, was recorded as the highest in the 14BLM14 genotype (9.07 kg/cm2). Chlorogenic acid was higher than the other phenolic compounds and the highest value was obtained in the 14BLM20 (11.45 mg/kg) genotype. It was recorded that the value of malic acid, which is the major organic acid of the plums, varied between 269.65–1294.64 mg/100 g. Genotypes showed diverse vitamin C content, and the highest value was found in the 14BLM18 genotype as 54.42 mg/100g. Each genotype showed superiority according to the type of traits, and thus breeders may have used these genotypes as the superior ones for specific plum breeding purposes. In addition, these genotypes could be satisfactorily used in domestication.

Primary, Secondary Metabolites and Molecular Characterization of Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Genotypes

In this study, the molecular, biochemical and agro-morphological characterization of genotypes belonging to hawthorn species collected from Bolu province of Turkey was performed. Inter-priming binding sites (iPBS) markers based on retrotransposons were used for the first time in the molecular properties of hawthorn genotypes in the world. The marker system provided very useful information for revealing the genetic variation of the genotypes. Six iPBS markers amplified 68 fragments, of which 65 were polymorphic (95.59%) with an average of 10.83 polymorphic bands per primer. The polymorphism and resolving power per primers ranged from 0.12 to 0.42 and from 0.78 to 8.11 with the average being 0.32 and 5.95, respectively. Pomological properties of Crataegus tanacetifolia, such as fruit pomology and core weight were determined to higher than those of Crataegus monogyna. Citric acid was determined as the most predominant organic acid, followed by malic and succinic acid in the genotypes of both species. The highest citric acid content (26.745 mg 100 g−1) was noted for 14BL09 genotype. The vit. C content was recorded ranging from 2.681 to 9.621 mg 100 g−1. Catechin, chlorogenic, caffeic and rutin contents were varied between 4.140–51.393 mg, 2.254–42.361 mg, 0.624–4.407 mg, and 1.241–10.029 mg per 100 g of fruits, respectively. As a result, it has been determined that twenty-five genotypes belonging to different hawthorn species are important genetic resources to be evaluated in horticultural breeding studies in terms of their physical and biochemical contents.

Agromorphological Characterization Revealed Three Phenotypic Groups in a Region-Wide Germplasm of Fonio (Digitaria exilis (Kippist) Stapf) from West Africa

Fonio is an ancient orphan cereal, cultivated by resource-poor farmers in arid and semi-arid regions of West Africa, who conserved and used the cereal for nutrition and income generation. However, the extent and patterns of phenotypic variation within the fonio germplasm remain scarcely evaluated to inform breeding decisions. In this study, we used alpha lattice design to assess the phenotypic variability of 180 fonio accessions using 20 agro morphological descriptors, including both qualitative and quantitative traits at Bengou research station in 2018 and 2019. Descriptive statistics, combined analysis and multivariate analyses, including principal components analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering, and multiple factor analysis (MFA) were performed. As results, we found significant differences among fonio accessions and among agro ecological zones of provenance for most of the quantitative traits. Furthermore, highly significant positive correlations were found between grain yield and other yield-related attributes such as harvest index and thousand seeds weight, whereas significant negative correlations were found between grain yield and flowering and maturity times. Clusters analysis revealed three phenotypic groups. Group 1 was characterized by early maturing fonio accessions with higher grain yield. Groups 2 and 3 were characterized by late maturing accessions with intermediate to moderate grain yield. The accessions from Group 1 are candidate for yield improvement and development of fonio lines with enhanced lodging resistance. Accessions from Group 2 and 3 can be improved for yield through marker-assisted selection of best thousand seed weight. This study highlights how traits are correlated within the major phenotypic groups of fonio in West Africa, and we discussed how these groups could be further exploited for improving traits of economic importance. Furthermore, this study exhibited agro morphological descriptors that discriminate fonio accessions and provide useful information for parental selection with economically important agronomic traits.

Agro-Morphological Characterization of Sicilian Chili Pepper Accessions for Ornamental Purposes.

The species belonging to the genus Capsicum have been widely used as decorative vegetables, however only a few genotypes are available for this purpose. The goal of the present work was the agro-morphological characterization of several chili pepper accessions cultivated into different pot sizes (10, 14, 18 or 20 cm diameters). The agro-morphological characterization of 19 accessions was performed following IPGR (International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) descriptors: plant height (PH), plant canopy width (PCW), PH/PCW ratio, plant growth habit, plant visual quality, first flower emission, fruiting start, end of harvest, fruit number, fruit length, fruit width, fruit color at mature stage and fruit shape. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for all observed traits showed statistical significant differences among the genotypes tested. Results of the heat map complementarily secured the frequency of multiplicity highlighted from the ANOVA analysis. Furthermore, the present study pointed out that A33, A27, G1 and A1 chili pepper accessions achieved optimal performances in terms of plant visual quality, which is a crucial trait for ornamental purposes.

Agro-Morphological, Microanatomical and Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization of the Medicinal Plant Chelidonium majus L.

Chelidonium majus L. is a medicinal plant well-known as a valuable source of isoquinoline alkaloids, which has a variety of pharmacological properties including anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. However, considerable intraspecific bio-morphological variability in C. majus complicates raw material identification and verification. For the first time, we have brought into cultivation five populations of C. majus subsp. majus originated from different regions, and performed their agro-morphological, microanatomical and molecular cytogenetic characterization. All examined populations produced high seed (18.6–19.9 kg/ha) and raw material (0.84–1.08 t/ha) yields; total alkaloid contents were within 0.30–0.38%. Nevertheless, significant differences in plant morphology and yield-contributing traits were observed. The performed microanatomical analysis of leaves and flowers in double- and normal-flowered plants revealed micro-diagnostic features (including tissue topography, types of stomata, laticifers, structure of leaf mesophyll, hairs, sepals and petals) important for identification of C. majus raw materials. The analysis of chromosome morphology, DAPI-banding patterns, FISH mapping of 45S and 5S rDNA and also chromosome behavior in meiosis allowed us to identify for the first time all chromosomes in karyotypes and confirm relative genotype stability of the studied plants. Our findings indicate that the examined C. majus populations can be used in further breeding programs.

Agro-morphological characterization of horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus) accessions from selected agro-ecological zones in Kenya

Morphological characterization of genotypes is fundamental in providing information on their genetic status to guide on their conservation and improvement. The objective of this study was to determine agro-morphological diversity within horned melon in Kenya. The study was carried out in two seasons at the University of Embu in Kenya. The study characterized 19 horned melon accessions collected from different agro-ecological zones in Eastern, Central and Western regions in Kenya. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Morphological characterization of the accessions was based on melon descriptors from International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) with slight modifications. Significant differences were observed in all the quantitative traits except the number of branches and main vine length. However, qualitative variations were only observed in fruit shape, rind colour and seed shape. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) showed that fruit weight, main vine length and days to maturity had the highest contribution to the observed diversity. Cluster analysis separated the accessions into seven groups with between classes diversity of 79.20% and within classes diversity of 20.80%. The diversity observed can be exploited by plant breeders for genetic improvement of the crop.

Morphological Characterization and Genetic Diversity of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Varieties Cultivated in Ethiopia

Introduction: The experiments were conducted to identify and group sesame genotypes by morphological and genetic characteristics. Materials and Methods: Ten nationally released sesame genotypes were obtained from Humera and Melka-Worer research centers and planted at Humera experimental sites. The number of primary branches per plant was found higher (5.93) for M-80. However, the number of nodes per plant was grouped as ‘more’ (24.13) for M-80 compared to Humera-1, which was grouped as the ‘highest’ (26.13). Plant height was tall in all the sesame genotypes studied. Likewise, the number of nodes per plant in all the genotypes was grouped as more nodes per plant i.e. greater than 15. The leaf length ranged from 7.769 cm to 6.67 cm and genotypes, Argene and K-74 had the lowest and the highest values, respectively. The variation was least in qualitative characteristics like flower colour, number of locules per pod, pod pubescence, and type of pod beak. Thousand seed weight and seed yield per kg per ha had a significance level at P=0.05. Pod length was found to be varied among the genotypes and grouped as ‘long “with a mean pod length of 2.44 cm. Hence, genotypes having a long pod length might be preferred for seed production. The genetic characters of the genotypes were characterized and the level of polymorphism for the selected primers ranged from 56.25% to 100%. ISSR-880 was found with the least level of polymorphism while the other three (ISSR-811, ISSR-812 and ISSR-860,) were found with a high level of polymorphism. Five sesame genotypes (ADI, Humera1, Serkamo, M-80 and E) were clustered and grouped together, while three genotypes, namely, Argena, K-74, and S-Breeder appeared to have their own cluster separately. Results: Our study indicates that agro-morphological and genetic characterization of genotypes is useful and effective in determining polymorphisms in the sesame genotypes molecular genotyping, reproducible and it can also produce enough polymorphism to cluster and identify the genotypes. Conclusion: The findings presented in this paper may prove useful in the future to include more ISSR markers and induvial genotype investigation for detailed characterization of sesame germplasm that would be important for future breeding and sesame improvement program.

Morpho-agronomic characterization and evaluation of a gene based marker in three aromatic pigmented Chakhao rice accessions of Manipur

Chakhao Poireiton, Chakhao Sempak and Chakhao Amubi are the three most popular traditional non-Basmati-type black scented rice of the state of Manipur in India. These varieties have long statured (135-145 cm height) plants which have high anthocyanin pigment on sheaths, leaf blades, nodes and internodes. They are characterized by late heading (115-120 days) and late maturity duration (145-150 days). The lemma and palea of grains are of purple colour with strong fragrance. The agro-morphological characterization of Chakhao Poireiton, Chakhao Sempak and Chakhao Amubi was done at College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, India during the wet (Kharif) seasons of 2017 and 2018 following the DUS test guidelines for the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV &amp; FRA). DNA extractions were done using SDS method and a CAPS marker for the OSB1 gene was used to discriminate rice seeds governing white and black colour. We validated the usefulness of this marker in three varieties of black scented rice and in a white local landrace as well as their crosses with the white local landrace.

Agro-morphological characterization of local garlic (Allium sativum L.) germplasm accessions collected from different regions of Jammu and Kashmir

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is increasingly becoming an essential component in human diet due to tremendous health-promoting benefits; its traditional local types are preferred for their taste. Garlic clones have specific adaptations to different agro-climatic regions; some have adapted to specific environments through artificial and natural selection. The study was undertaken to assess the variation in some agro-morphological characters of 17 local garlic germplasm accessions collected from different regions of Jammu and Kashmir including far-flung areas of Karthaie Padder Kishtwar and Balot Bhaderwah Doda. Most of these local garlic germplasm accessions are characterized by more pungent smell and distinctive taste often with pigmented coat layers. Some of these accessions have been cryo-preserved in National Gene Bank at ICAR-NBPGR New Delhi. The results have demonstrated the existence of a good amount of agro-morphological diversity in these local garlic germplasm accessions. Different ecotypes exhibit considerable variation among themselves in agronomic characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for concerted efforts for exploration, collection and maintenance of locally available garlic germplasm possessing quality traits including disease and pest resistance besides good storability characteristics for future garlic crop improvement programmes in the region.

Genetic Variability of Eggplant Germplasm Evaluated under Open Field and Glasshouse Cropping Conditions

Knowledge of agro-morphological genetic variation and cropping conditions on vegetative and yield-related traits plays a significant role in varietal improvement and production of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Following this premise, the current study was conducted to critically asses the genetic variation of 29 eggplant accessions by using agro-morphological characterization evaluated under two cropping conditions, namely, glasshouse and open field. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on vegetative and yield characteristics were collected and subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS 9.4, while variance components were estimated manually. The results obtained from the analysis of variance indicated a highly significant difference (p ≤ 0.01) for all characteristics studied in both cropping conditions. The evaluated accessions were grouped into six major clusters based on agro-morphological traits using Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram. Hence, crosses between group I with VI or V could be used to attain higher heterosis and vigor among the accessions. Also, this evaluation could be used as a selection criterion for important yield agronomic traits in eggplant. The methodology and the approaches used may provide a model for the enhancement of other vegetable crop diversity towards adaptability to the cropping condition decision. This result displayed importance for preserving eggplant germplasm for future varietal development and revealed that open field cropping condition is more suitable under Malaysia’s agroecology.