Variability of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. flower and seed characteristics in Thailand

Pongsakorn Nitmee

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Namfon Chachai

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Banthita Pensuriya

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Pongsak Kaewsri

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Surasit Wongsatchanan

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Rewat Chindachia

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Promote Triboun

National Biobank of Thailand (NBT), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

Sutkhet Nakasathien

Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10100

Jakkrit Sreesaeng

Lamtakong Research Station, Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture (InnoAg), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Pathum Thani, Thailand, 12120

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14456/apst.2025.73

Keywords: Centella asiatica Characteristic Flower Seed Thailand Variability

Abstract

The conservative components of the plant, including the flower and seed, exhibit minimal response to environmental changes. However, the variability in the flower and seed traits of Asiatic pennywort in Thailand remains poorly understood. This study aimed to categorize the variation in flower and seed characteristics across 15 accessions of Asiatic pennywort. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications was employed. In total, 11 qualitative and 9 quantitative traits of the flower and seed were assessed. Multivariate analyses, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical cluster analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, were performed. Variance analysis of the different accessions revealed significant diversity in flower and seed traits. Notably, variability was observed in characteristics such as bract length, calyx length, epigenous disc, seed width, seed length, and the seed length-to-width ratio. Fifteen Asiatic pennywort accessions were grouped into two clusters on the phylogenetic tree, with distance coefficients ranging from 1.00 to 25.00. The first cluster consisted of four accessions, while the second cluster contained eleven accessions, which were further divided into two sub-clusters: sub-cluster 2.1 with a single accession and sub-cluster 2.2 with ten accessions. In terms of seed traits, the second cluster exhibited higher mean values compared to the first cluster. Conversely, the first cluster displayed larger flowers. These findings demonstrate substantial variability in both flower and seed traits among Asiatic pennywort accessions in Thailand. Such variation may serve as a basis for future classification of Asiatic pennywort germplasm.

How to Cite

Nitmee, P., Chachai, N., Pensuriya, B., Kaewsri, P., Wongsatchanan, S., Chindachia, R., Triboun, P., Nakasathien, S., & Sreesaeng, J. (2025). Variability of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. flower and seed characteristics in Thailand. Asia-Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, 30(05), APST–30. https://doi.org/10.14456/apst.2025.73

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