review on genetic diversity in castor... - tlooto, The Most Powerful AcademicGPT

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is a commercially important non-edible oilseed crop valued primarily for its ricinoleic acid-rich oil with wide industrial applications. Assessing and harnessing its genetic diversity is critical for breeding programs aimed at improving yield, oil quality, stress tolerance, and disease resistance. Genetic Diversity Assessment Approaches Historically, morphological and agronomic traits such as plant height, capsule dehiscence, seed size, flowering time, and oil content have been used to evaluate variability within castor germplasm. While these phenotypic markers reveal significant variation, their reliability is limited due to environmental influence, necessitating molecular marker-based analysis for precise discrimination and genetic improvement [1][2]. Biochemical characterization, particularly variations in seed oil composition and isozyme profiles, has supplemented diversity studies but is constrained by the limited number of traits and the complexity of