Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Cultivated and Wild Species Germplasm of Barley based on Morpho-agronomical and Root Architecture Traits

Abstract

Genetic variation in a selected set of 213 accessions of wild and cultivated barley germplasm was evaluated for 23 agro-morphological and root traits for two years. Wide range of phenotypic expression was observed for traits such as days to spike emergence (53.50–113.50), plant height (PH) (39.53–141.87 cm), spike length (1.83–13.57 cm), spikelet triplet groups (STG) 10–35.67, 100-grain weight (HGW) (0.12–6.56 g), total root length (RL) (6.96 97.25 cm) and root dry weight (RDW) (0.20–12.84 mg). Wild germplasm grouped under cluster I and cultivated under cluster II with different sub-groups for hull-less, two-rowed and six-rowed germplasm, irrespective of the geographical diversity. Principal component analysis indicated that first five components accounted for 77.23% of the total multivariate variation and it was mainly contributed by grain yield (GY), grain area (GA), STG, RL, total root surface area (RSA), total root volume (RV) and RDW. Correlation coefficients of root traits were positively significant with PH, SL, HGW, GY and grain size, indicating root architecture can play a pivotal role for future yield enhancement in rain-fed crop like barley. Donors for various traits were also identified such as short duration (IC445542, IC542197, IC470019), spike length (IC113052), dwarf plant habit (IC113045), root biomass (EC578716, EC492340).