Abstract
Solanum incanum L., a wild relative of cultivated eggplant (S. melongena L.), is a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs due to its adaptability to harsh environments and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Despite its potential, comprehensive morphological characterization of S. incanum remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the morphological diversity of 45 wild S. incanum accessions from Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran, using multivariate analyses to identify key traits and superior genotypes for conservation and breeding. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences among accessions for all evaluated traits (p < 0.05). Significant phenotypic variation was observed among accessions, with high coefficients of variation (CV > 20%, p < 0.05) for traits such as fruit shape (81.35%), basal leaf prickles (74.54%), and fruit flesh density (65.98%). Multivariate analyses (p < 0.01) revealed that plant architecture (PC1: 24.84% variance, eigenvalue = 8.69), fruit shape (PC2: 11.46%, eigenvalue = 4.01), and calyx morphology (PC3: 7.46%, eigenvalue = 2.61) were primary drivers of diversity. Correlation analysis showed strong associations between fruit breadth and weight (r = 0.94, p < 0.01), while multiple regression identified fruit weight as the most influential predictor of fruit length (β = 0.92, p ≤ 0.001). Heatmap clustering grouped accessions into distinct morphological clusters, with Euclidean distances ranging from 0.44 (most similar) to 10.86 (most divergent). The study identified eight elite genotypes (‘Rachedr-41’, ‘Rachedr-13’, ‘Rachedr-3’, ‘Rachedr-33’, ‘Rachedr-34’, ‘Rachedr-44’, ‘Rachedr-15’, ‘Rachedr-9’) exhibiting superior morphological traits, including larger fruit dimensions (‘Rachedr-41’: 28.15 mm length, 32.27 mm breadth, and 12.54 g weight) and enhanced seed characteristics (‘Rachedr-33’: 2.47 mm seed length). These accessions, positioned outside the 95% confidence ellipse in PCA, represent promising candidates for introgression into cultivated eggplant to improve agronomic performance. The findings underscore the importance of S. incanum as a genetic reservoir and provide a robust framework for future germplasm conservation and breeding initiatives.
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The author acknowledges the use of ChatGPT (OpenAI; https://chat.openai.com) as a language-support tool during the preparation and revision of the manuscript, particularly for improving academic English, clarity, and coherence of the text. The author confirms that all scientific content, data analysis, interpretation of results, and conclusions are entirely his own responsibility. ChatGPT was accessed on 15 April 2026.
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For this study, we acquired permission to study wild eggplant (S. incanum) issued by the Agricultural and Natural Resources Ministry of Iran.
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The either cultivated or wild-growing plants sampled comply with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines and domestic legislation of Iran.
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Khadivi, A., Mirheidari, F., Saeidifar, A. et al. Multivariate analysis of Solanum incanum L. based on morphological characterizations.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-51861-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-51861-9
Keywords
- Biodiversity conservation
- Germplasm characterization
- Multivariate statistics
- Phenotypic plasticity
- Solanaceae wild relatives
- Trait correlations
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