Genetic diversity and correlation analysis of Indian date palm (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.): Insights into an underutilized native fruit crop

Abstract: Indian date palm (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.) is one of the important nutritious, naturally abundant, potentially underutilized rain-fed fruit of the western dry tract of West Bengal available in the natural vegetation. Considering the diversity of the crop under this region, the present study aimed to study genetic diversity using multivariate analysis based on fruit physico-chemical and antioxidative properties of fifteen wild date palm accessions (P-1 to P-15) from natural vegetation of different locations from Bolpur Sriniketan Block under the Birbhum district during the year 2022 and 2023. The Indian date palm accessions exhibited wide ranges of variation in different fruit physico-chemical and antioxidative properties. The significant and high positive correlation of fruit weight with fruit size (length, diameter), pulp weight, seed weight, seed length and seed diameter were noted within Indian date palm accessions. A fairly positive correlation was observed between fruit weight, spadix girth, TSS, and total sugar. Similarly, fruit diameter was positively correlated with spadix girth, TSS, total sugar and reducing sugar. Pulp weight had a high positive correlation with TSS and total sugar. UPGMA clustering of date palm accessions has shown three major clusters. The eigenvalue and Eigenvector have exhibited five major principal components, of which the first principal component (PC1) contributed a maximum of 49.5% towards total variability. Bi-Plot also confirms the variability and the association of different characteristics within Indian date palm accessions.