Molecular and chemotypic variability of forskolin in Coleus forskohlii Briq., a high value industrial crop collected from Western Himalayas (India)

C. forskohlii (willd.) Briq. is an industrially viable medicinal crop and is widely exploited for the therapeutic potential of its bioactive metabolite, forskolin. The present investigation aimed to explore the chemotypic variability of forskolin content and existing molecular diversity in the wild population of C. forskohlii from the Western Himalayan region of India. Twelve germplasm(s) from different populations were assessed for molecular fingerprinting (ISSR marker) and densitometeric quantification of forskolin. Two elite germplasms viz. NBC-24 (0.728%) and NBC-16 (0.641%) were obtained as the highest accumulator of forskolin with high genetic variability (92%). The UPGMA hierarchical clustering patterns revealed strong genetic grouping between the individuals corresponding to their geographical ranges. Mantel tests showed positive correlation ( r = 0.354, p = 0.003) between molecular and chemical fingerprints that reflects the feasibility of the ISSR markers in analyzing genome information related to forskolin biosynthesis from varied phytogeography. Pearson correlation coefficient (0.102) between forskolin content with altitude gradient also denoted a positive correlation. However, the association of both genetic and chemical fingerprinting data with the geographic distance matrix was apparently negative ( r = −0.234, p = 0.054; r = −0.067, p = 0.584) which meant that distance might be a predictor of population differentiation. Our study signifies the utility of metabolic and molecular fingerprints for identification of elite accessions and provides a lead to industry for commercial exploitability of Coleus species including its location specific commercial cultivation.