Growing Green: Unravelling Trait Associations in Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) for Higher Biomass

Abstract

Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is a leguminous crop native to India, cultivated for its industrial value and soft fibre. Its high biomass and nutrient content make it a good choice for fodder and green manure. As a legume, it thrives on poor or reclaimed soil, serving as a soil builder and nematode deterrent. In this study, the investigation was carried out with the objective of elucidating the associations among traits and their contribution towards high biomass in sunnhemp. The investigation was carried out with the objective of elucidating the associations among traits and its contribution towards high biomass in sunnhemp. Genotypic correlation analysis revealed significant associations between biomass and traits such as the number of primary branches (0.631), dry matter yield (0.543), leaf length (0.540) and leaf width (0.470). Phenotypic correlation analysis demonstrated that biomass showed positive correlation with number of primary branches (0.604), dry matter yield (0.540), leaf length (0.539) and plant height (0.456). In addition to this, path analysis revealed the direct and indirect effects of traits on biomass yield. The trait dry matter yield (1.421) exhibited the highest positive direct effect towards biomass yield. These findings suggest that selecting plants for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, dry matter yield and primary branch count can enhance biomass in sunnhemp breeding programs, which will further increase its value as a green manure crop.