Phenotypic diversity and identification of wild Arachis accessions with useful agronomic and nutritional traits

Hari D. Upadhyaya, Sangam L. Dwivedi, Hajisaheb L. Nadaf, Sube Singh, 'Phenotypic diversity and identification of wild Arachis accessions with useful agronomic and nutritional traits', Euphytica, vol. 182(1), pp.103-115, Springer Nature, 2011

Wild relatives harbor novel sources ofvariation, which can be used to enhance the geneticbase of a cultivar gene pool. A total of 269 accessionsfrom 20 wild Arachis species belonging to sixsections were evaluated for 41 morpho-agronomictraits and 89 selected accessions for oil, protein andtotal sugar content. Six plants from each accessionwere grown in an open Arachis house in largecylindricalconcrete structures during the 2004?2005season at Patancheru, India. REML analysis showedsignificant differences between species and accessionsfor most of the traits studied. Hierarchicalcluster analysis, based on the first five principalcomponent scores accounted for 82.5% variation,resulting in four clusters. Variation in genomerelationships and ploidy levels had no bearing onthe clustering pattern which was predominated by lifeforms: clusters 1 and 2, contained mostly annuals andclusters 3 and 4 perennials. A large range ofvariations were noticed among species for some ofthe agronomic traits: days to flowering, pod and seedcharacteristics, specific leaf area (SLA) and forSPAD chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR). Arachisduranensis showed the maximum intraspecific variationas revealed by a high diversity index for 23 of the41 traits which included: days to flowering, primarybranches, plant width, pod length, pod width, SCMRand SLA. The other species with desirable traits wereA. pusilla (earliest flowering) and A. villosa (highSCMR at 60 and 80 days after sowing). The latterspecies is cross compatible with cultivated groundnut,thus, is a good source to enhance the trait value in thecultigen?s gene pool. The best 20 accessions withsuperior agronomic, nutritional quality and droughtrelated trait combinations have been identified fortheir use in introgression of diverse and unique allelesfrom wild Arachis species into A. hypogaea