Unlocking genetic diversity in Indian germplasm and breeding lines of Muskdana (Abelmoschus moschatus L.)

Abelmoschus moschatus L. (muskdana) is an orphaned aromatic herb found in nature, boasting exceptional medicinal and industrial potential. Despite substantial demand in the fragrance industry, research efforts aimed to uncover the yield potential of Indian muskdana remain unknown, requiring attention to introduce new cultivars into commercial farming. This study represents the initial endeavor to evaluate genetic diversity among 61 muskdana genotypes, including breeding lines and germplasms gathered from diverse eco-geographical regions of India, employing morphometric, chemical, and molecular analyses. The goal is to identify trait-specific diverse lines for initiating targeted breeding programs in muskdana. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the genetic assortment existing among the test genotypes. The experimental setup exhibited significant variation for majority of the morphological and agronomic traits. The genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV) displayed the highest magnitude for oil content, followed by seed weight/plot and the number of pods/plant. The key economic traits, oil content and seed weight/plot, also exhibited the highest genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM) and heritability. All Indian muskdana genotypes revealed six major phyto-constituents in their essential oils, albeit in varying concentrations. Notably, the components present in the highest proportions were 2E, 6E-Farnesyl Acetate, and Z-Oxacycloheptadec-8-en-2-one. This study employed 25 CAAT-box derived polymorphic (CBDP) markers to assess allelic polymorphism and population structure among muskdana genotypes. Phenotypic and chemical data-based cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) grouped all genotypes into three distinct clusters. However, CBDP markers-based clustering and structure analysis revealed four distinct clusters and sub-populations, respectively. Indeed, no distinct clustering was observed among muskdana genotypes using agrochemical and CBDP markers. The present study uncovered substantial genetic variation among muskdana genotypes, thus holding direct significance in identifying trait-specific superior parental combinations to initiate focused breeding programs for commercial muskdana cultivation.