Genetic Diversity Evaluation of 70 Chewing Cane Germplasm Resources Based on Phenotypic Traits

Chewing cane is primarily consumed as fresh fruit and contains a variety of essential amino acids and iron. The identification and evaluation of chewing cane germplasm resources are prerequisites for the rational utilization of these resources, and phenotypic traits provide a direct and convenient means to determine breeding objectives. To facilitate the utilization and development of chewing cane germplasm, thirty-six phenotypic traits in 70 chewing cane germplasm resources were analyzed. The results revealed rich genetic diversity among the chewing cane resources. Seven phenotypic traits exhibited relatively high diversity and considerable potential for genetic improvement. The three groups exhibited relatively small genetic distances and relatively high genetic similarity coefficients, among which the Local varieties (Lv) group displayed the highest genetic diversity indices and retained more private alleles. Based on genetic similarity, the resources were classified into 3 groups, 5 subgroups, and 5 subclasses through cluster analysis, with more than half (54%) of the chewing cane materials forming a separate cluster. A total of 26 private alleles associated with 13 different phenotypic traits in chewing cane were identified across the three groups. The results of genetic diversity analysis based on phenotypic data provide important references for the utilization of chewing cane germplasm resources, selection of parents, and variety breeding.