Diversity Analysis of Castor Germplasm Based on Agronomic Traits and Castor oil Content

Background : Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important industrial medicinal and oil crop with high economic value. Despite its potential, limited research has been conducted on the diversity of castor germplasm for various industrial uses.BR/Methods and Results : 189 castor germplasms were characterized according to 13 agronomic traits and evaluated for oil content. Significant positive correlations were observed between seed weight and dimensions. Principal component analysis identified six components that explained 71% of the total variation, with seed and leaf sizes contributing the most to diversity. The germplasm lines were grouped into four distinct clusters. K157287, from Cluster IV, had the largest seed weight and size. (K)908593 from Cluster III had the greatest leaf-related traits but the lowest oil content. Meanwihile, germplasm IT032145 exhibited the highest oil content. IT101352 had the earliest flowering time, whereas IT112895 had the latest flowering time.BR/Conclusions : The results have highlighted the genetic diversity of the castor germplasm, offering key insights into the development of high leaf yield and oil-rich resources and, providing a foundation for future breeding programs.