Assessment of genetic variability among vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) genotypes in Indo-Gangetic plains

Abstract

Amaranth is an annual or short-perennial, dicotyledonous plant, globally cultivated for its grains and leaves. The plant is recognized as one of the earliest domesticated vegetables with exceptional nutraceutical and therapeutic properties. The present investigation aims to evaluate the genetic diversity and breeding potential of 22 vegetable amaranthus genotypes. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications during summer 2023, with observations recorded on 14 agro-morphological traits. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences for all the traits, depicting a wide range of variation for these traits. Further, the genotype VRAM-45 was found most promising for leaf yield, while VRAM-44 excelled for seed yield. A significant and positive correlation exists between leaf yield/plant, leaf length and leaf width, implying a potential link between leaf area and the efficiency of photosynthesis. Principal component analysis highlighted the significance of the first two components, explaining a substantial 53.71% of the total variation. Traits such as plant height at the vegetative stage, leaf length, and days to 50% flowering emerged as significant contributors to the variance. Clustering analysis categorized the 22 genotypes into four clusters. Cluster IV, though was found monogenotypic, but found superior for most of the economic traits, followed by cluster III. Thus, focusing on these clusters in breeding or selection programs could lead to more favorable outcomes in terms of economic productivity and other desirable characteristics.