Amit Mishra, S.K. Verma, Kuldeep Pandey, Anil Kumar, Hemant Kumar, Abhishek Sonkar1, Rishabh and Rishant Shukla
Abstract
This study presents the morphological characterization of local tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) germplasm collected from eight districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The research involved the identification and collection of 42 distinct and wild tamarind genotypes during the years 2023-2025. Six key tree morphological characters were recorded and analyzed. Results revealed considerable variation among the germplasm in growth habit, canopy shape, foliage type, tree stature, branching habit, and leaf color. The plant species were divided into three groups based on their growth patterns which included spreading, semi-spreading and upright forms with semi-spreading becoming the dominant category. The tree canopies displayed various shapes which included dome, oval, irregular, circle, semi-circle and cone forms while oval and irregular shapes dominated the sample. The two types of foliage were sparse and dense but sparse foliage appeared more frequently. The trees showed various heights from tall to dwarf and their branches followed four different patterns which included erect and semi-erect and drooping and semi-drooping. The majority of leaves displayed dark green color but a small portion of leaves showed light green color. The observed morphological diversity results from genetic variation together with environmental factors and local agroclimatic conditions. The evaluated tamarind germplasm shows wide genetic diversity which enables future breeding programs to develop improved crops and stress-resistant varieties while protecting genetic resources.