Germplasm evaluation in Cinnamomum tamala: A potential climate-resilient crop

Abstract

Indian Bay Leaf (Cinnamomum tamala) is an important tree spice that has been valued as a food flavorant, natural colourant, preservative, and raw material for the pharmaceutical industry. Considering its increasing demand, its cultivation has been expanding in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. As a leaf is the material of commerce, there is relatively less dependence of the crop on environmental factors for the induction of flowering and subsequent events of fruiting. This makes the crop more relevant in a changing climate. Horticultural evaluation to identify superior genotypes has not been attempted in this species so far, and the selection criteria are lacking. In the present study, variability in morphological, yield, and biochemical parameters (essential oil content, oleoresin content, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, essential oil GC-MS profiling) was assessed in six accessions of tejpat from 2021 to 2025, revealing significant differences. Considering superior fresh leaf yield (1974.3 leaves/ m; 1819.5 g/m), dry yield (960.5 g/m), dry recovery (52.79%), higher chlorophyll content (3.578 µg/g), high essential oil content (0.463%), and high eugenol content, the accession IC653497 was found to be promising. This is the first study on perennial evaluation of germplasm in Indian Bay Leaf. The study generates information on important quality parameters to be considered for the selection of elite types in this species that would be helpful for future crop improvement programmes in this climate-resilient species.