1ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi-110 012, India
2ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Jodhpur-342 003, Rajasthan, India
3ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Akola-444 104, Maharashtra, India
4Sri Karan Narendra Agricultural University, Jobner-303 329, Rajasthan, India
*Corresponding Author: Ambika Baldev Gaikwad, ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi-110 012, India, Email: ambikabg@gmail.com
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), also known as methi, is a crop with immense economic and therapeutic importance. It is widely used for human consumption, both as a leafy vegetable and as a seed spice. Crop improvement in fenugreek entails characterization of the germplasm for traits of agronomic importance. Novel sources of variation are required to be identified for this purpose.
A novel genotype with determinate growth habit has been evaluated with different genotypes of fenugreek at four different locations for various quantitative and qualitative traits. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed for these traits to identify trait variation existing in the germplasm.
Highest variation was observed for the trait of number of primary branches per plant while least variation was observed for days to 50% flowering. The qualitative traits demonstrated not much variation as these are oligogenic in nature. Amongst the accessions, a genotype, UM-370 was identified to possess the determinate growth habit. This genotype was found to be earlier flowering than the previously known determinate genotype, RMt-305. UM-370 was characterized using DNA-based molecular markers to establish its distinctness. This is the first report on identification of UM-370 as a determinate genotype in fenugreek. The identified genotype can be utilized to breed for the determinacy trait in fenugreek.
Determinate, Fenugreek, Molecular markers, Plant growth habit, Qualitative, Quantitative traits
