Morphological, Physiological, and Reproductive Influencing Factors of Yield in Native Iranian Fenugreek Based on Path Analysis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

2 Department of Plant science, Moghan College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

3 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran.

10.48308/pae.2026.242429.1129

Abstract

Fenugreek is an important medicinal and nutritionally rich legume with significant potential for cultivation in semi-arid and marginal environments. Twenty-six native Iranian fenugreek populations were evaluated under field conditions through a randomized block scheme with three replications. A comprehensive set of vegetative, reproductive, and biochemical traits; including fresh and dry stem and root weights, leaf dimensions, pod and seed characteristics, and photosynthetic pigments, were recorded to assess their contribution to seed yield. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations among vegetative traits, such as stem biomass and leaf area, indicating coordinated plant growth. Reproductive traits, including thousand seed weight, number of pods per plant, and number of seeds per pod, were correlated with seed yield. Also, some negative correlations indicated trade-offs, particularly between root biomass and shoot branching, as well as between pod number and seed number per pod. Path analysis identified number of pods per plant (with coefficient 0.61), number of seeds per pod (0.37), and thousand seed weight (0.93), as the primary direct contributors to seed yield, whereas traits such as pod height, dry stem weight, leaf area, and carotenoid content exerted significant indirect effects through reproductive components. Bootstrap analysis with 2,000 resamples confirmed the stability and reliability of the path coefficients, highlighting the robustness of the model in accounting for multicollinearity among interrelated traits. These findings suggest that integrated selection strategies targeting both reproductive traits and supporting vegetative and physiological attributes can substantially improve seed yield in fenugreek. Genotypes combining vegetative growth, efficient photosynthetic machinery, and superior reproductive performance represent ideal candidates for breeding programs aimed at enhancing productivity.

Keywords

References

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Plant, Algae, and Environment
Volume 10, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
DOi
March 2026
Pages 25-42

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