Abstract
Abstract 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.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Substantial variability was observed across key agro-morphological traits among wild and cultivated sesame accessions.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“Substantial variability was observed across key traits”
Claim · model-written summary
Capsule width, capsule length and corolla length showed high heritability in wild sesame accessions.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“capsule width, capsule length, corolla length, seed area and test weight, exhibited high heritability”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed area and test weight showed high heritability in wild sesame accessions.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“capsule width, capsule length, corolla length, seed area and test weight, exhibited high heritability”
Claim · model-written summary
Multivariate analyses revealed significant clustering patterns among the sesame accessions.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“Multivariate analyses revealed significant clustering patterns”
Claim · model-written summary
Wild accessions IC621506 and IC557250 outperformed cultivated sesame species for early maturity.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“IC621506 and IC557250 (early maturity)”
e1“outperformed cultivated sesame species”
Claim · model-written summary
Wild accessions IC409053, IC204658, IC208661 and IC208662 outperformed cultivated sesame species for capsule number.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“IC409053, IC204658, IC208661 and IC208662 (greater capsule number)”
e1“outperformed cultivated sesame species”
Claim · model-written summary
Wild accessions IC208661, IC208662 and IC409053 outperformed cultivated sesame species for seed yield per plant.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“IC208661, IC208662 and IC409053 (superior seed yield per plant)”
e1“outperformed cultivated sesame species”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that the novel wild accessions are valuable genetic resources for broadening the cultivated sesame gene pool.
Verbatim
t0“wild sesame”
e0“These novel accessions constitute valuable genetic resources for broadening the cultivated gene pool”