Study of genetic diversity in exotic germplasm of lentil

Abstract

Genetic diversity was assessed using multivariate analysis among seventy one diverse genotypes of lentil. Mahalanobsis D2 analysis groped genotypes into twenty clusters. Maximum genotypes were present in cluster I (43), followed by cluster II (6) and cluster XII (5). Remaining clusters had only one genotype in each. Genotypes belonging to cluster I, II and XII having high genetic diversity can be used as parents for hybridization programme for the development of high yielding lentil genotypes. The percentage contribution towards genetic divergence by 100 seed weight was maximum. Maximum inter cluster distance i.e., 1509 was reported between cluster II (X2011S 189, X2011S 133, X2011S 87, X2011S 154, X2011S 111, X2011S 172) and XVIII (Flip 2010-96L). The hybridization between individuals belonging to these clusters may leads to the formation of superior segregants. On the basis of cluster mean values, cluster XIII had highest mean values for days to 50% flowering; cluster VII for days to maturity and seed yield per plant; cluster XVIII for plant height; cluster II for number of primary branches per plant and number of secondary branches per plant; cluster XV for number of pods per plant; cluster XVII for number of effective pods per plant; cluster IX for number of seeds per pod; cluster XII for 100 seed weight; cluster III for biological yield per plant and cluster XX for harvest index. Genotypes viz., Idleb 2, FLIP 2011-43L, FLIP 2010-91L, FLIP 2010-96L & JL 3 were identified as highly divergent and better performing on the basis of their high cluster mean values and can be given due importance for the development of high yielding genotypes of lentil.