Morpho-biochemical diversity and elite hybrid selection in amrapali × sensation mango (Mangifera indica L.) progenies

Abstract Mango ( Mangifera indica L.) is among the most valued tropical fruits, recognized for its taste, nutrient profile, and worldwide socio-economic significance. The increasing preference for cultivars with increased sweetness, nutrition and dietary quality has created a strong impetus for targeted and trait-oriented breeding. In this study, 35 hybrids derived from an Amrapali × Sensation cross, along with parents, were comprehensively evaluated for morpho-biochemical diversity, integrating detailed sugar and organic acid profiling with quantitative morphological traits that are critical to fruit quality and consumer demands. The hybrids displayed wide phenotypic variability, with both intermediate and transgressive segregation across fruit, stone, peel, and pulp traits. Fruit size varied substantially (length: 63.71–121.45 mm; weight: 70.48–324.69 g), whereas significant differences were observed in fruit shape, peel thickness, and pulp recovery. Biochemical profiling revealed broad variation in TSS (12.63–22.03 °Brix), sucrose (16.01–74.46 mg/g), glucose (4.55–24.78 mg/g), fructose (5.00–25.41 mg/g), and organic acids, including ascorbic acid (1.79–9.71 mg/g) and citric acid (1.03–11.74 mg/g). Multivariate analyses, including PCA, correlation, and hierarchical clustering, successfully dissected trait variability, with PCA identifying a clear size-quality block and hierarchical clustering grouping progenies into four different clusters. Notably, transgressive segregation for traits such as the pulp: stone ratio (up to 9.28) and TSS (22.03 °Brix) indicates the potential to select superior recombinants among the progeny. MGIDI analysis identified six elite hybrids exhibiting superior multi-trait performance and proximity to the predefined ideotype. Overall, this study demonstrates the identification of superior hybrid progenies and the effectiveness of hybridization among heterozygous mango hybrids in generating improved varieties, while establishing morpho-biochemical profiling and multivariate analysis as strong tools for identifying elite hybrids and ideotypes for future mango improvement programs.