Good keeping quality (KQ) is a critical trait for sustaining potato cultivation under subtropical conditions, where post-harvest losses significantly impact profitability. To support breeding for improved KQ, a targeted evaluation of variability in key contributing traits was undertaken using a diverse germplasm set of 540 accessions of Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum. The study utilized data from 2010 to 2020, incorporating control varieties Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Dewa and Kufri Ashoka. Evaluation was performed using an augmented design with appropriate data transformations to mitigate annual environmental variations treated as block effects. The adjusted means revealed substantial phenotypic variation in sprouting (34.93%), firmness (20.77%), weight loss (27.32%), rottage (75.43%) and total weight loss (25.44%). Significant genotypic differences were observed for total weight loss and sprouting. Principal component analysis reduced data dimensionality, with the first three components accounting for 86.3% of the total variance. Biplots were generated using eigenvalues and eigenvectors to visualize the distribution of accessions based on KQ traits. Genotypes clustered in favourable zones on the biplots, enabling the identification of 18 superior keeping germplasm accessions: CP3151, CP3134, CP3117, CP3208, CP3211, CP3590, CP3515, CP3702, CP3336, CP3661, CP3514, CP4214, CP4229, CP4514, CP3588, CP3639, CP3795 and Kufri Dewa. The findings identify valuable parental material for breeding programs targeting improved post-harvest resilience in potato cultivars suited to the subtropical plains.

Flower colour is a key trait shaping pollination, reproduction and plant–environment interactions. In arid ecosystems, it may also signal adaptations to heat and (Ultraviolet) UV stress. Tecomella undulata, a threatened keystone tree of the Indian Desert, exhibits striking flower colour polymorphism with yellow, orange and red morphs. This study tested whether artificial intelligence (AI) can reliably classify these morphs, thereby supporting conservation efforts. Field surveys were conducted across natural populations in the Thar Desert. An accessible no-code AI platform (Google Teachable Machine) was used for supervised classification of flower and tree images, with unsupervised clustering applied for validation. The AI classifier achieved high accuracy in distinguishing morphs at both flower and tree scales. Morphs showed consistent separation, with orange functioning as an intermediate form. Despite red morphs being more frequent, the presence of yellow and orange morphs contributes essential functional diversity important for pollinator interactions and reproductive resilience. This study demonstrates that no-code AI provides an effective, scalable approach to documenting intraspecific variation in threatened species. By enabling rapid and reliable identification of flower colour morphs, the approach offers practical applications for ex situ conservation, restoration and morph-aware biodiversity management in T. undulata and other arid-zone trees.

Mulberry (Morus spp.), a key moriculture crop, serves a dual role: its leaves are indispensable as exclusive fodder for silkworms, while its fruits, particularly in species such as Morus nigra, Morus laevigata and Morus macroura, are valued as functional foods enriched with antioxidants and vitamins. The genus exhibits remarkable natural chromosome-level variation ranging from 14 to 308, which offers a unique system to investigate the impact of genome expansion on plant function. Herein, the influence of different cytotypes on functional traits associated with cell division, cell size and biomass metrics was studied. Principal component analysis revealed that tetraploid (4x), followed by triploid (3x), exhibits the most favourable cytotype, suggesting a vigorous and balanced expression of polyploid advantage. However, downsizing of many key parameters with increasing ploidy levels was also evident, predominantly at 22-ploid (22x). Furthermore, the estimated plasticity index reveals that the lower limit of cell size and rate-limited attributes influenced the loss of growth superiority of the extreme ploidy level; in turn, data imply the large-genome constraint in mulberry, as the consequence of the functioning of a large genome is likely expensive. Therefore, the present study emphasizes that the benchmarking of ploidy levels for the selection of parental material is essential for improving cellular function and developmental efficiency, thereby optimizing leaf yield for the future sustainability of sericulture.

Crop wild relatives represent an essential reservoir of untapped genetic diversity for crop improvement. Despite sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) being an important oilseed crop, its wild relatives remain underutilized for characterization and breeding efforts. To comprehensively assess their potential, a field evaluation was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 on 53 accessions belonging to seven wild, three S. indicum accessions, and three cultivated species. Thirty-four agro-morphological traits (18 qualitative, 16 quantitative) were characterized under field conditions. Substantial variability was observed across key traits, including plant height, branching patterns, leaf morphology, corolla structure and pigmentation, capsule size and shape, seed characteristics, and yield-contributing attributes. Multivariate analyses revealed significant clustering patterns, and several traits, notably capsule width, capsule length, corolla length, seed area and test weight, exhibited high heritability. Importantly, certain wild accessions such as IC621506 and IC557250 (early maturity), IC409053, IC204658, IC208661 and IC208662 (greater capsule number), and IC208661, IC208662 and IC409053 (superior seed yield per plant) outperformed cultivated sesame species. These novel accessions constitute valuable genetic resources for broadening the cultivated gene pool and enhancing breeding strategies. This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of morphological diversity in wild sesame species, underscoring their potential utility in developing high-yielding, resilient varieties that can address future agricultural challenges.

Oats (Avena sativa L.) are cultivated worldwide for food and feed. Recently, there has been a growing interest in oats in South Korea owing to their nutritional and feed value. To support efficient breeding and genetic resource management, this study evaluated seven agronomic traits of 506 Avena accessions collected globally with two Korean oat varieties as standards. Seven agronomic traits – days to heading (DTH), plant height (PH), plant type, dehulling characteristics, 1,000-grain weight (TGW), seed length, and seed width (SW) – were evaluated over two to three years under Korean spring conditions. An augmented design was employed due to a lack of seeds and the field, and environmental bias was adjusted using Best Linear Unbiased Predictions. Statistical analyses revealed a strong positive correlation between TGW and SW and a moderate positive correlation between PH and DTH. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified that the first two principal components (PCs) explained 66.88% of the total variance, and that PC1 and PC2 were highly correlated with grain characteristics. K-prototype clustering analysis classified the 506 oat genetic resources into four distinct clusters based on the results of PCA, rather than their geographical origins. Cluster analysis indicated that Clusters 1 and 3 have potential for forage oat breeding, particularly in fodder use, whereas Clusters 2 and 4 may be valuable for grain-use oat breeding in South Korea. This study provides a comprehensive phenotypic assessment of oat germplasm obtained globally under Korean spring conditions and provides a useful foundation for germplasm management, cultivar development, and future genetic research.

Late-phase graft incompatibility and subsequent yield reduction pose significant threats to sustainable nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) production in India, primarily due to the widespread use of wild Myristica species as rootstocks. Accurate rootstock authentication at the seedling stage is critical to prevent these long-term losses, but current methodologies are insufficient. This study develops novel chloroplast DNA (cpDNA)-based markers for species authentication and phylogenetic analysis in Myristica. Utilizing a comparative chloroplast genomics approach, we identified hypervariable regions to create robust sequence length polymorphism markers. Marker validation across 33 diverse Myristica accessions, including all major Indian cultivated germplasm, revealed a unique 25 bp deletion in the ycf4-cemA region. This deletion serves as a highly reliable diagnostic marker to differentiate cultivated nutmeg from wild rootstock species. The validated markers were successfully used to authenticate rootstocks in both commercial nurseries and established plantations, offering a critical tool to prevent long-term graft incompatibility. Intraspecific variation within M. fragrans cultivars was observed in the rpoB_trnC-GCA, trnS-UGA_psbZ and trnR-ACG_rrn5S intergenic spacer regions. UPGMA clustering distinctly separated the Myristica accessions into three discrete phylogenetic groups. Beyond rootstock management, the identified M. fragrans-specific marker can reliably authenticate nutmeg in commercial products, distinguishing it from potential adulterants like M. magnifica and M. andamanica. Furthermore, we report a species-specific marker for the endemic and IUCN red-listed vulnerable species, M. andamanica, which will be invaluable for its precise identification and conservation efforts. Our research provides an invaluable, easy-to-use toolkit for Myristica germplasm management, breeding programs and quality control of nutmeg products.

The genus Populus (poplar) plays a major ecological role and is one of the fastest-growing woody species worldwide. Consequently, it serves as a model for genetic studies in woody plants. Identifying superior clones requires assessing genetic diversity, for which cytogenetic and karyotypic studies are essential. This study investigated 40 clones from 10 species. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were observed among clones for most chromosomal traits, indicating considerable karyotypic diversity. The base chromosome number was x = 19, with both diploid (2n = 2x = 38) and triploid (2n = 3x = 57) ploidy levels present. The clones P. euramericana var. vernirubensis (P. canadensis var. vernirubensis): 1(16) and P. nigra var. 63/135: 20(5) exhibited the most symmetric and most asymmetric karyotypes, respectively. The clones P. canadensis var. vernirubensis: 1(16) and P. caspica: (35) possessed the largest and smallest chromosomes, respectively. Quantitative analysis revealed that while individual chromosome volume was similar between ploidy levels (0.56–0.65 µm3 in triploids vs. 0.52–0.81 µm3 in diploids), the total chromosomal volume per cell was significantly greater in triploids (31.92–37.05 µm3) than in diploids (19.76–30.80 µm3). This ∼1.4-fold increase closely matched the theoretical 1.5-fold expectation based on chromosome number, indicating strict genomic additivity. Principal component analysis identified four main components: intra-chromosomal symmetry, chromosome length, inter-chromosomal symmetry and ploidy level. Cluster analysis grouped the 40 clones into 19 distinct classes, with different clones from the same species often classified separately, highlighting extensive intra-specific karyotypic diversity. The study demonstrates that triploid clones maintain diploid-scale chromosome dimensions, suggesting their possible phenotypic superiority stems from stable genome duplication rather than structural change, making them predictable candidates for breeding.

Delphinium luteum is an endangered species characterized by unique yellow flowers. Although its utilization in breeding has historically been limited, it possesses valuable genetic traits. In this study, we performed interspecific hybridization between the orange-red flowered D. nudicaule and D. luteum to create novel flower colours and analyze pigment inheritance. The crossing of genetically fixed hybrid lines resulted in progenies segregating for red-purple, red, orange and yellow flowers. Notably, red-purple flowers, a novel trait absent in both parents, were produced. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that these red-purple flowers accumulated complex anthocyanins derived from pelargonidin, cyanidin and delphinidin, whereas D. nudicaule contained only pelargonidin-based anthocyanins. This suggests that D. luteum complemented the flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase and flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase genes that are non-functional in D. nudicaule. Conversely, yellow progenies accumulated no anthocyanins, suggesting a pigmentation phenotype similar to D. luteum. These results demonstrate that D. luteum is a promising genetic resource for introducing novel flower colours and expanding the phenotypic diversity of Delphinium through traditional breeding.