Estimates of genetic diversity for quantitative traits in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract

The objective of present study was to estimate the genetic diversity among the forty genotypes of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) The experiment was laid out at Crop Research Center (Chirori), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut (U.P.), during rabi season 2016-17 in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Each treatment was grown in 3 m long double row plot spaced 30 cm apart. The plant to plant distance was maintained at 10 cm through proper thinning. Based on D2 value the forty entries were grouped into seven distinct clusters, indicating the presence of diversity for different traits. The highest number of genotypes appeared in cluster III, which possessed fourteen genotypes, followed by ten genotypes in cluster IV and five in cluster VI. Cluster I and cluster II comprised of four genotypes each. Cluster V has two and Cluster VII only one genotypes. The maximum intra-cluster distance was obtained for cluster VI however the highest inter cluster D2 values was observed between cluster V and cluster VII, indicating the existence of wide genetic variability. Characters 1000 seed weight exhibited highest per cent contribution towards total genetic divergence followed by number of secondary branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, days to maturity, biological yield per plant, and seed yield per plant. Based on the results, the superior and genetically divergent genotypes can be used in crop improvement programme.