Evaluating maternal pod variability and early growth dynamics in Moringa oleifera progenies

Moringa oleifera is a globally significant multipurpose crop, yet the physiological linkages between maternal reproductive investment and progeny fitness remain insufficiently characterized to enable high-precision breeding. This study evaluated the ontogenetic parameters and allometric growth patterns of ten genotypes (MO-11 to MO-20) and their corresponding progenies (P-11 to P-20) to identify elite germplasm for industrial and nutritional applications. Maternal phenotypic analysis revealed significant sink-strength variability; accession MO-11 exhibited maximized pod robusticity (length: 47.81; weight: 13.10 g), while MO-16 recorded the peak 100-seed weight (19.14 g). A pronounced reproductive trade-off was observed in MO-20, where high seed prolificacy (21.60 seeds/pod) inversely correlated with individual seed mass and subsequent germination vigor (64.42). Progeny evaluation through 90 days after sowing (DAS) highlighted a critical decoupling between initial establishment and long-term structural vigor. While P-15 demonstrated superior initial germination, P-16 emerged as the elite line for structural acceleration, nearly tripling its Shoot Vigour Index (SVI) to 46.03 by 90 DAS. Biomass partitioning analysis further identified P-19 as a superior candidate for nutrient conversion efficiency, recording the maximum dry matter accumulation (20.77 g). Multivariate analysis (PCA and Hierarchical Clustering) successfully categorized the progenies, identifying P-16 and P-19 as elite lines with superior growth profiles. Correlation analysis demonstrated that SVI is primarily driven by shoot and total length (r = 0.99), whereas germination percentage showed a weaker relationship with overall vigor. The high stability and low phenotypic plasticity of 100-seed weight (C.V. = 2.07) and 90-day structural traits validate these parameters as robust bio-morphological markers. These findings provide a quantitative framework for genomic-assisted selection, classifying MO-11 for vegetable yield and MO-16/P-16 for industrial oil extraction and high-density silvicultural systems.