Phenotypic variability analysis of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) germplasm for trait-specific improvement

A comprehensive examination of 264 saffron (Crocus sativus L.) germplasm lines was done to examine phenotypic variability in agro-morphological features, essential quality elements (crocin, picrocrocin, safranal), and resistance to corm rot. Significant variation was reported for most morphological variables, with corm width and corm weight recording the largest coefficients of variation, while flower and leaf quantity showed fairly limited range. Among quality traits, crocin content displayed the largest variability. Strong additive genetic control and appropriateness for clonal selection were shown by high heritability combined with significant genetic advancement for leaf length, stigma yield, and corm weight. PCA indicated four significant components explaining 64.01% of total variance, with PC1 and PC2 predominantly influenced by floral features and corm qualities, respectively. Screening against corm rot under in vitro conditions indicated incubation times ranging from 2–5 days, and twenty-two genotypes displayed highly resistant reactions. Several excellent genotypes such as SRS-Saf-144, SRS-Saf-199, and SRS-Saf-206 were recorded for their combined performance in yield, quality, and disease resistance. Overall, the study shows significant exploitable variety in the saffron germplasm, offering a strong basis for clonal selection, trait-specific modification, and the creation of high-yielding, disease-resistant saffron cultivars.