Genetic divergence analysis of Indian bamboo species based on morphological characters

Abstract

Ten species of bamboo with twenty one morphological characters were analyzed for genetic divergence using Mahalanobis D2 analysis led to their grouping into three clusters. The cluster I had maximum five species while cluster II comprised of three species. Minimum species were found in Cluster III with two species. Intra cluster average distances were maximum in cluster II followed by cluster III. The inter cluster average distance was maximum between cluster I and cluster III indicating that species falling in these clusters to be genetically diverse and can be used for multicultural plantation or as parents in hybridization programme to get heterotic response. Significant differences between cluster means in these two clusters were observed for culm diameter, culm to culm distance, internodal length, number of culms, number of leaves per node and culm sheath area. Culm sheath area, number of leaves per node, number of culms, leaf area and culm sheath length contributed maximum towards total divergence.