Study of genetic diversity based on quantitative traits in sesame

Abstract

In the present investigation thirty sesame genotypes were used for diversity analysis for thirteen quantitative traits. The thirty genotypes were grouped into nine clusters based on the Mahalanobis D2-values following Tocher’s method. There was similarity of clustering pattern obtained by both Tocher’s method and canonical analysis. Maximum inter cluster distance (1840.33) was exhibited between cluster IV and cluster VI and intra cluster distance (154. 89) was in cluster III. The lowest inter cluster divergence (165.90) was noticed between cluster II and VI indicating that the genotypes included in them were closely related. So, it is expected that crosses between genotypes of cluster IV with genotypes of cluster VI will give rise to high yielding sergeants. Relative contribution of different characters to total divergence was assessed through comparison of actual D2 values for individual characters over all possible combinations. It was revealed that capsule per plant followed by days to 50% flowering and 100 seed weight contributed maximum to total divergence.