Title : Genetic parameters, path analysis, and morphometrics of floral, fruit, and seed traits for the conservation and breeding of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. in the Colombian Caribbean
Abstract:
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl., locally known as Bangaño, is an underutilized cucurbit of vital socioeconomic, cultural, and ecological importance for resource-poor farming communities in the Neotropics. Despite its high adaptability to humid tropical conditions, scientific information regarding its genetic architecture, floral biology, and morphometric trait associations remains limited, threatening its genetic conservation. This study evaluated 12 accessions from the Caribbean region of Colombia using a completely randomized design with 10 replicates to estimate genetic parameters, phenotypic/genotypic correlations, and path coefficients across floral, fruit, and seed characters. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences (p≤0.01) among accessions for 18 out of 19 biometric variables, highlighting extensive phenotypic diversity. High broad-sense heritability (h2A: 83–99%) combined with genetic-to-environmental variance ratios (CVg/CVe > 1) was recorded for key yield traits. Expected genetic gains were exceptionally high for fresh fruit weight (151%) and seed dimensions (108–118%). Phenotypic and genotypic correlations demonstrated robust associations between fruit size and seed yield components. Path analysis identified total seed weight per fruit and fruit profile length as the primary direct contributors to overall fruit biomass. The integration of floral morphometry confirmed that variation in corolla diameter and pistil-to-stamen ratios directly influences fruit set and seed fill. Provenance Tierradentro (TDM) exhibited superior performance for fruit weight (4491.2 g) and seed metrics. These findings confirm structured genetic variation in landrace populations, providing actionable selection indices and breeding ideotypes to enhance crop productivity, safeguard phytogenetic resources, and support rural food security under changing climate scenarios.
Keywords: Cucurbitaceae, Broad-sense Heritability, Path Coefficient Analysis, Phytogenetic Resources, Underutilized Crops, Yield Ideotypes.
