Genetic divergence analysis of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] germplasm lines

Abstract

This study was performed at Instructional dairy farm, Govind Ballabh Pant University of agriculture and technology during Kharif season, 2017 to evaluate and characterize 96 sorghum accessions for various morphological and fodder yield parameters. On the basis of Hierarchical cluster analysis, 96 genotypes were classified into seven clusters. Maximum number of genotypes were found in cluster II (42) followed by cluster number V. The pattern of group clusters proved that geographical diversity need not necessarily be related to the genetic diversity. The generalized intra cluster distance ranged from 0.00 (cluster VI and cluster VII) to 116.756 (cluster II). The relative distance of each cluster from cluster (inter cluster distance) indicated high degree of divergence between cluster I and cluster VII (895.34) followed by cluster VI and cluster VII (757.58). So the genotypes of cluster I and cluster VII can be used as parents in yield improvement programmes.