Genetic and phenotypic diversity in Solanum lycopersicum genotypes: insights from morpho-molecular and biochemical analyses

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop is well-known for its versatility worldwide and is also recognized as model species used extensively for various genetic studies. The aim of this research was to investigate both inter and intra-genetic diversity present among various tomato genotypes. This investigation was carried out through a comprehensive analysis encompassing morphological observations, biochemical assessments, and the utilization of SSR markers. A total of 15 discrete agro-morphological traits and six biochemical traits were undertaken in the current study for evaluating the analysis of variance, genetic parameters and correlation. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences across genotypes for all 15 agro-morphological traits and 6 biochemical traits tested, indicating that the experimental material included considerable variability. Morphological clustering divided the genotypes into 2 clusters and the genotype wise distance matrix was obtained to identify the most diverse genotypes. PCA analysis was conducted to understand the directive relation of traits and magnitude of variability contributed by them. SSR profiling with 24 primers identified 44 alleles with 1.83 as mean number of alleles/SSR with an average PIC value of 0.31. Structure analysis revealed two sub-populations (K = 2). The AMOVA indicated that 98% of the total variation was present within populations. This study presents a roadmap for composing future breeding strategies for integrating desirable traits in novel tomato lines that combine robustness and nutritive value.