Assessment of genetic diversity based on quality and morphological characters in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L em Thell)

Abstract

Sixty four genotypes including released varieties and improved genotypes were analysed for genetic diversity using Mahalanobis D² statistics. Based on 17 morphological and quality traits 64 genotypes were grouped into nine multi-genotypic clusters.  Two clusters viz., IV and IX consisted of maximum number of 14 genotypes each followed by cluster VII (9), cluster I (8), cluster V (7) cluster VI (6) while cluster II, III and VIII consisted of two genotypes each. Maximum inter cluster distance was noted between cluster VIII and II (11.415) followed by cluster III and VIII (10.201),  cluster II and VII (9.924) and cluster II & III (9.269) while  minimum inter cluster  distance was noted in cluster IV and IX. Clustering pattern revealed that genetic diversity was not related either with geographical diversity or pedigree of the genotypes.  The genetically diverse and  promising genotypes based on per se performance for different traits were CBW 38, HS 240, QLD 33,HD 2428, K.SONA, HD 2009, HW 384, UP 2425,HD 2643, HW588, IND 359 and  HD 2824. Utilization of these parents in hybridization programme could be useful in getting wide spectrum of variability and transgressive segregants for quality and other traits.