Phenotypic variability and floral trait associations in bael [Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa] from the North-Western Himalayan plains

Bael is a medicinal fruit tree of considerable economic and therapeutic importance and is predominantly propagated through seeds. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate and interpret variation in floral characteristics among eighty wild bael genotypes, alongside two widely cultivated varieties, NB-5 and NB-9. Among the genotypes examined, JMU-Bael (Sel-27) consistently recorded the highest measurements for most floral attributes, including flower and bud dimensions, petal size, pedicel traits, as well as reproductive organ characteristics such as filament, anther, ovary, style and stigma size. Multivariate analysis using principal component analysis revealed that the first five principal components together explained 73.90% of the total variability, demonstrating that these components effectively summarized the majority of information contained in the floral traits. Each principal component was associated with a distinct set of correlated floral parameters. Furthermore, cluster analysis grouped the eighty wild genotypes and the two commercial cultivars into two major clusters, each further subdivided into smaller groups based on similarity in floral traits. Overall, the results highlight substantial phenotypic diversity and clear relationships among the evaluated bael genotypes, providing a valuable foundation for future breeding, selection and germplasm improvement programmes. However, as canopy directions of the same tree were used as replications, the observed variability and associated genetic parameter estimates should be interpreted with caution, as environmental and sampling effects may also contribute to the detected variation.