Exploring morpho-biochemical diversity of untapped broad bean ( <i>Vicia faba</i> L.) germplasm from Indian hills and exotic collections

In the present study, 40 broad bean genotypes comprising local collections, indigenous landraces, and exotic accessions were evaluated to assess their morpho-biochemical diversity. Significant variations in morphological traits, with the Shannon Diversity Index (H’) ranging from 0.117 to 0.975 and evenness index (E) ranging from 0.169 to 0.993, were observed. Among the evaluated morphological traits, 100-seed weight (100-SW), seed shape (SS), plant height (PH), and pod length (PL) exhibited the highest Simpson’s Diversity Index (SDI) values of 0.60, 0.57, 0.56, and 0.56, respectively. Collectively, both H’ and SDI identified 100-SW, SS, PH, and PL as the most diverse morphological traits among the evaluated germplasm. Multivariate analysis categorized the genotypes into four clusters, with principal component analysis highlighting pod yield per plant, days to 50% flowering, total soluble solids, crude protein content, and ascorbic acid as key contributors to genetic divergence. High heritability with high to moderate genetic gain was observed for most traits, indicating additive gene action in inheritance. Superior genotypes were identified for horticultural and quality traits, such as flowers per cluster (genotype IC-342275), days to final harvest (genotype BBP-2), pod length (genotype BBP-3), pods per node (genotype EC-329643), nodes per plant (genotype BBPR-1), branches per plant (genotypes BBM-4 and BBM-5), plant height (genotype BB-2), 100-seed weight (genotype IC-331431), pod yield per plant (genotypes BBPR-1 and BBP-3), crude protein content (genotypes BBPR-3, BBPR-4, and IC-342580), ascorbic acid (genotype BBPR-1), and tannin content (genotypes IC-341173 and IC-267650).