Preliminary growth assessment of vegetative traits in selected Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) accessions

Abstract

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is a high-value perennial crop that contributes significantly to Sri Lanka’s export economy. Despite its economic importance, expansion of cinnamon cultivation is hindered by the limited availability of improved and widely adopted cultivars. Evaluation of vegetative growth performance of cinnamon across diverse agroecological zones is crucial to identify superior accessions suitable for cultivation and breeding purposes. Therefore, this study evaluated the vegetative growth performance of twenty selected vegetatively propagated cinnamon accessions transplanted at eight months of age. The assessment was conducted over three months (December 2024 to March 2025), under field conditions in Thalgampala, Galle (WL2a), using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. The evaluation mainly focused on agronomic parameters including plant height (from soil surface to the apex of the main shoot), stem girth (10 cm above ground), and average leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD readings) on mature, healthy leaves located in the middle canopy. Analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences among the accessions for all parameters (p < 0.05). Accessions 7 and 18 performed well in terms of stem girth (2.21 ± 0.84 cm) and plant height (64.33 ± 14.36 cm), while accession 56 showed the highest average SPAD readings (39.9 ± 9.04 cm), indicating a higher chlorophyll content. These findings emphasize accessions 7, 18, and 56 are the best among the selected twenty, with potential for further agronomic trials to support breeding programs and germplasm conservation. In contrast, accession 12 consistently scored poorly across all parameters, indicating limited adaptability and reduced potential for further cultivation.