Genetic variability of bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley and its morphological characterization by multivariate analysis

A wide range of bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley germplasm was collected from different parts of the world. Genetic resource preservation and determination of genetic variability was carried out as a foundation for future breeding work. The germplasm diversity collected in Serbia is a result of its adaptation to diverse ecological conditions and farmers’ selection in accordance with their preference and ethnobotanical utilization. The broad intraspecific variation of the plant, fruit and seed morphology is a direct result of the research carried out. Principal component analysis (PCA) of L. siceraria with 13 quantitative traits showed continuous variation among accessions, primarily due to fruit and seed size and shape. The evident reduction in trait variation is a direct result of the preference for ornamental use that favored certain shapes and sizes of the fruit, which has not significantly changed over the centuries.