Genetic Diversity analysis by D2 clustering of yield and yield attributing traits in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

Genetic diversity analysis was conducted at College of Agriculture, UAHS, Shivamogga during summer 2014. In this study, 36 six genotypes were evaluated for 13 yield and yield attributing traits and grouped into six clusters through Mahalanobis’ D2 analysis. Cluster I was the biggest with 19 genotypes followed by cluster VI and Cluster II & III. Among the traits studied, green pod yield contributed the maximum to the diversity (40.17%) followed by plant height (18.89 percent). The genotype IIHR-103 recorded highest green pod yield of 165 g per plant, while it recorded an average number of pods (23.85). Cluster II with four genotypes secured 1st rank with an overall score of 40 across 13 characters and the cluster V obtained 5th rank with an overall score of 55. It is desirable to select genotypes from clusters showing high inter-cluster distance (cluster V and VI) for further crop improvement programme.