An appraisal of genetic divergence in some indigenous collections of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wileczek)

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to retrieve information on the nature and extent of genetic diversity among 110 mungbean genotypes for yield related traits by using Mahalanobis's D2 statistics. One hundred and ten genotypes could be grouped under 15 clusters, cluster XV showed maximum intra-cluster distance while the highest inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster VI and XIII. Seed yield exhibited a maximum contribution to genetic divergence (72.02 per cent) followed by days to 50 per cent flowering (15.33 per cent) and plant height (4.24 per cent) while the other traits viz., the number of clusters per plant, the number of pods per cluster, pod length and seeds per pod exhibited insignificant values for contribution to genetic divergence. The maximum and minimum cluster value for seed yield ranged from 5.83 to 19.13. The greater the distance between two clusters, the wider the genetic diversity between the varieties. Keeping this in view, it is indicated that hybridization between the varieties (SML 171/1, AGG 11–013, FRM 1320, EC 396114 and SML 138) of cluster VI and cluster XIII (CO 4, VPM 50 and PLM 501), cluster VIII (V4, V2 and CO 7) and cluster VI (CO 4, VPM 50 and PLM 501), cluster II (AGG 10–850 and EC 396118) with cluster VI (SML 171/1, AGG 11–013, FRM 1320, EC 396114 and SML 138) would produce a better seed yield along with earliness in green gram.