Evaluation of genetic divergence in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for yield parameters and heat tolerance traits

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on 108 bread wheat genotypes to evaluate the genetic diversity for yield and yield contributing parameters under heat stress conditions. The genotypes congregated into eleven clusters, and distribution pattern designates that maximum number of genotypes were grouped into the cluster VI (25) followed by cluster I (16) and IX (12). The inter cluster distances were higher than the intra-cluster distance, indicating broader genetic diversity among the genotypes of different groups. The highest inter cluster distance was observed between cluster VIII and IV (613.84) followed by clusters XI and IV (586.42), suggesting presence of wide diversity among the groups. The maximum intra-cluster distance (D2) were recorded for cluster XI (171.58), followed by cluster VIII (129.73), and minimum intra- cluster distance was recorded for cluster VI (66.33). This suggested that genotypes like SHIATS BW- 1606, SHIATS BW- 1630, and SHIATS BW- 1698 from cluster VIII and SHIATS BW- 1695 from cluster I could be used as potential donors for hybridization program to develop recombinant genotypes with high grain yield adapted to heat stress conditions.