Morphological diversity assessment in date palm (Phoenix dectylifera L.) germplasms grown under hot arid region of India

作者：Ramkesh Meena, Monica Chaudhary, P. S. Gurjar, Jagadish Rane, A. K. Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav, K.L. Kumawat, Dhurendra Singh, B. R. Chaudhary, M. K. Jatav, R. S. Singh, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Saud Alamri, Shahbaz Khan · 发表于：BMC Plant Biology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s12870-025-07194-2 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Date Palm Research Studies、Oil Palm Production and Sustainability、Genetic diversity and population structure

BACKGROUND: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a vital fruit crop cultivated in hot, arid regions due to its economic, nutritional, and ecological significance. Understanding the morphological diversity among different genotypes is crucial for breeding, conservation, and improving yield potential. The current study aimed to assess the phenotypic diversity of 37 date palm genotypes from 27 accessions grown in India's arid climate, focusing on 26 morphological traits. RESULTS: The study employed statistical analyses such as ANOVA, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate trait variability and their contributions to yield improvement. Key traits like leaf length (CH1), leaflet length (CH2), bunch length (CH9), bunch weight (CH15), fruit weight (CH16), and pulp weight (CH20) exhibited significant genetic variation. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations between bunch weight (CH15) and key yield components, including yield per plant (CH26), number of bunches per plant (CH7), and fruit traits like weight (CH16), width (CH18), and length (CH17). Additionally, negative correlations were observed, such as stone weight (CH19) with the pulp-to-stone ratio (CH21) and total soluble solids (CH25), highlighting trade-offs in fruit composition. The impact of both genetic and environmental factors on trait expression was demonstrated by PCA, which further separated genotypes such as Medjool (MDL) and Tayer (TYR) based on fruit weight and ...