Study of genetic diversity under varied environments in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik)1

Abstract

Genetic diversity of 30 diverse genotypes of lentil was studied through D² statistic. Genotypes from different geographical locations have been observed in same cluster and vice-versa indicating that clustering of populations does not follow their geographic or location distribution. The intra cluster distance was observed to be highest for cluster III in all the environments except environment II thereby indicating greater genetic divergence between the genotypes belonging this cluster. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster I and III in all environments except environment II where maximum inter-cluster distance was observed in cluster I and II. The diversity among the cultivars measured by inter cluster distance was adequate for improvement of lentil by hybridization and selection. Cluster II had late flowering genotypes with maximum primary and secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, plant height, biological yield per plant and seed yield per plant in almost all the environments where as cluster I had genotypes with early maturity type in all the environments. This clearly indicated that the genotypes included in these clusters are having broad spectrum of genetic diversity and could be used in hybridization programme of lentil for obtaining desirable segregates through selection in the advanced breeding programme.