Genetic Variability and Trait-Based Selection in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Germplasm Lines from the Kashmir, India

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a vital legume crop with significant nutritional and economic value, yet its productivity is limited by genetic uniformity and environmental stresses. We evaluated 75 common bean germplasm lines from Kashmir, India, for eleven agro-morphological traits using an augmented block design. High phenotypic variability was observed for plant height (CV = 64.41%) and pods per plant (CV = 41.99%), while seeds per pod (CV = 14.72%) exhibited stability. ANOVA confirmed significant genetic differences (p ≤ 0.01) for most traits, with high heritability for plant height (h² = 76.16%), seed thickness (h² = 75.06%), and seeds per pod (h² = 83.58%), indicating strong genetic control. Multivariate analyses revealed important patterns in trait variability and genetic structure. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the first three components explained 90.08% of the total variation, driven primarily by plant height, pods per plant, and seed yield per plant. Clustering identified 16 distinct groups, with Alr-36, Kdr-45, and Alr-28 exhibiting the highest divergence and outperforming checks in yield-related traits (e.g., SYPP = 100.33 g/plant) via LSI analysis. These results highlight Kashmir’s germplasm as a reservoir of genetic diversity for breeding programs targeting yield resilience and stress adaptation. Future work should integrate multi-environment trials and genomic tools to validate and accelerate the deployment of these superior genotypes.