Fenugreek Germplasm Trait Explorer: A Digital Platform for Interactive Trait Visualization and Core-Set Exploration of Genetic Resources

Abstract

Phenotypic and genotypic information are fundamental to plant breeding, genetic improvement, and genomic research. Plant genetic resources conserved in gene banks provide an essential foundation for these activities by preserving genetic diversity and facilitating the identification and utilization of valuable traits. Digital information systems, databases, and repositories play an increasingly important role in the systematic management, accessibility, visualization, and exploration of germplasm information, thereby supporting data-driven breeding strategies, High Throughput Plant Phenotyping (HTPP) and genetic research. Considerable progress has been made globally in developing digital platforms for plant genetic resource management, crop-specific tools for interactive trait exploration remain essential for the effective characterization and utilization of germplasm collections across different crops. In this context, the present study introduces the Fenugreek Germplasm Trait Explorer, an interactive digital platform developed for the systematic organization, visualization, and trait-based exploration of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) genetic resources. The platform incorporates phenotypic information on 712 fenugreek germplasm accessions, including a representative core collection of 71 accessions, characterized for 11 important phenotypic traits. These germplasm accessions are conserved at the ICAR–National Research Centre on Seed Spices (ICAR–NRCSS), Ajmer, India, which maintains a Medium-Term Storage (MTS) facility for the conservation of seed spice genetic resources. As India's dedicated national research centre for seed spices, ICAR–NRCSS plays an important role in the conservation, characterization, and utilization of these valuable genetic resources. The platform facilitates interactive trait visualization, comparative exploration of germplasm accessions, and identification of accessions belonging to the core collection. It provides a valuable digital resource for efficient germplasm characterization, trait-based selection, core collection exploration, and the identification of promising genetic resources for future fenugreek improvement programmes.