Variability in antioxidant capacity and some mineral nutrients among ninety-one Indian accessions of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.]

•Studied variability for fruit quality traits among 91 Indian accessions of bottle gourd.•High heritability with high genetic advance recorded for phenol content and antioxidant activity.•Positive association noted between phenol, antioxidant activity, Mg, Fe and Zn content.•91 accessions grouped into 12 clusters. First two PCs accounted for 62.43% variation.•Promising accessions for use as donors in quality breeding were identified.