Morphological and Chemical Quality Variations of Indian Bael ( <i>Aegle marmelos</i> Correa) under India’s Rainfed Semi-Arid Realms

Bael (Aegle marmelos Correa) has been known since prehistoric times and finds mention as one of the underutilized fruits. This study examines the morphological and chemical quality variations of bael (Aegle marme los Correa) genotypes cultivated under rainfed, semi-arid conditions in Gujarat, India. The present study was carried out to assess the variability, character association, and principal component analysis in diverse genotypes of bael. Significant variation was observed across traits such as growth habit, foliage density, bark color, and fruit characteristics, suggesting potential for developing high-yielding cultivars. Significant phenotypic variation was established by statistical analysis, which is helpful for breeding initiatives to increase the production and adaptability of bael. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for major yield and quality-related traits indicating variability, while broad-sense heritability estimates suggested strong genetic control, particularly for traits with high genetic advance. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first five principal components explained the maximum variation in both growth and yield traits (84.4%) and quality traits (84.69%) which highlighted the importance of these components in cultivar differentiation. Traits such as fruit weight, pulp weight, number of fruits per plant, and total sugar were the major key traits contributing to the total variability. Overall, the significant morphological and phenotypic variation among bael genotypes offered valuable resources for breeding high-yielding bael cultivars, thereby enhancing the adaptability and productivity in arid and semi-arid tropics.