Genetic variation in Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) germplasm based on seed oil content and fatty acid composition

Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) is a versatile oilseed crop with potential applications in food, biofuel, and industrial sectors. However, its potential has not been fully exploited through breeding because of the limited understanding of genetic variation in oil-related traits. The present study characterized the genetic diversity of 386 B. carinata accessions to identify superior genotypes based on their oil content and fatty acid composition. The experiment employed an augmented block design with two replicates. Oil content and fatty acid profiles were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS), respectively. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) variation was observed across all traits, with seed oil content ranging from 37.88% to 46.98%. High heritability (85–94%) and genetic advance (22.30–59.29%) were estimated for all traits. Cluster analysis revealed seven distinct groups with significant intercluster distances. Generally, acc-386 for oil content, acc-02 for erucic acid, acc-386 for α-linolenic acid, acc-385 for eicosenoic acid, and acc-309 for stearic acid were identified as promising candidates for industrial applications because of their high oil content and fatty acid levels. Acc-372 for linoleic, acc-326 for oleic, and acc-270 for palmitic acids showed considerable potential for further improvement for edible oil. This study provides valuable insights for future breeding programs, highlighting the utilization of genetic diversity to optimize fatty acid profiles for various end uses. In particular, the identified genotypes with high erucic acid contents have the potential to develop sustainable biofuel feedstock from B. carinata.