Induced heterotic genetic diversity in black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.)

Abstract

The Hyoscyamus niger L., is an important solanaceous medicinal plant used in both modern and traditional systems of medicine. The main chemical contituents of the crude drug, viz., hyoscyamine and hyoscine (1 scopolamine) also manifest sedative, mydriatic, antiposmodic and anticholinergic properties. Since the study of genetic variability for diverse morpho-economic and secondary metabolic traits in the parents and its hybrids populations is a prelude to potential crop improvement, genetic divergence among them was quantified by multivariate analysis with the objectives: i) to assess the proximity of parents and hybrids with each other thus was classifying them in different clusters/groups. ii) to identify highly divergent clusters/promising parents/hybrids for higher herb of better quality.