Variability of Agave amica in India Using SRAP Markers and Multivariate Analysis of Morphological Traits

The genus Agave , indigenous to Mexico, comprises approximately 15 species, 3 varieties, and a few commercially cultivated cultivars. Despite its ornamental value and global economic importance, the development of new cultivars has been limited, with only two primary varieties and around 20 single and double-flower cultivars currently in cultivation, restricting the genetic diversity available to breeders. This study investigates the genetic and morphological diversity among thirteen tuberose ( Agave amica ) cultivars using Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) markers and morphological assessments. SRAP analysis generated 63 scorable bands, with 54 polymorphic and 9 monomorphic bands, resulting in about 81% polymorphism. Cluster analysis via the NTSYS-pc program grouped the cultivars into two major clusters, with genetic similarity coefficients ranging from 0.51 to 0.89, indicating significant genetic variation. Within Cluster I, Hyderabad Single and Arka Prajwal showed 85.93% similarity, while Arka Sugandhi shared 84.37% similarity with both. Arka Nirantara formed a distinct subgroup, showing 84.37% similarity with Arka Prajwal and 78.12% with Arka Sugandhi. In Cluster II, Bidhan Ujjwal and Arka Vaibhav exhibited high relatedness with 89.06% similarity. Sikkim Selection and Mexican Single formed a subgroup within this cluster. SRAP primers showed a resolving power ranging from 6 to 25, with an average of 3.85 polymorphic bands per primer pair and a PIC value of 0.528, demonstrating their effectiveness in distinguishing among cultivars. Morphological evaluation of 11 traits, including plant height, leaf dimensions, flowering period, and spike characteristics, revealed significant variability. Multifactorial Analysis (MFA) and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) identified key traits contributing to this diversity. The integration of molecular and morphological data offers a thorough understanding of the genetic and phenotypic diversity in tuberose, crucial for breeding, conservation, and the development of improved cultivars, as well as the effective conservation of its germplasm.