Morpho-Biochemical characterization of Kalazeera (Bunium persicum Boiss. Fedts) germplasm grown in Global temperate...

The present investigation explores the variability of Bunium persicum populations belonging to different regions. Variability among 74 genotypes for thirty-seven traits (29 quantitative and 8 qualitative) were studied to ascertain the population structure of the Bunium persicum. Among the agro-morphological traits, wide range of variability was recorded in tuber shape, tuber colour, seed shape, seed colour, growth habit, leaf shape, leaf colour, umbel shape, umbel colour, plant height (22.90-96.52 cm), primary branches plant^-1 (1-6), umbel diameter of primary umbel (6.17 - 13.67 cm), number of primary umbels plant^-1 (1-12), umbels plant^-1 (8-40), seed yield per plant (0.55-13.10 g), essential oil content (3.2-9.3 %) etc. Significant and positive association was observed between number of seeds primary^-1 umbel (r = 0.91), plant height (r = 0.65), number of seeds primary^-1 umbel (0.52), number of seeds primary^-1 umbel (0.43), number of seeds secondary^-1 umbel (0.38) with number of umblets secondary^-1 umbel. Cluster analysis classified the genotypes with different geographical origin into two major clusters and sub-clusters. Cluster-I comprises of 50 genotypes and cluster - II of 24 genotypes while the genotype SRS-KZ-189 from Kargil population was separated as an individual sub-group. Principal component (PC1) and (PC2) harbors accounted 20.2% and 14% of total variation. Variability of Kalazeera genotypes would facilitate the plant breeders to implement and design various crop improvement programme in future.