GENETIC DIVERGENCE STUDIES IN BLACKGRAM (Vigna mungo L.) FOR YIELD AND QUANTITATIVE TRAITS

S Sri Vidya, T Sabesan, K Saravanan

doi:10.25081/jp.2018.v10.3408

Abstract

The genetic divergence was estimated in 21 blackgram genotypes, using Mahalanobis D2 statistics. The experiment was conducted at Plant Breeding Farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University during January 2017. Analysis of genetic variance indicated the presence of sufficient variation among the selected genotypes. Based on 11 morphological and quality characters namely, days to first flower, plant height (cm), number of primary branches, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length (cm), pod weight (g), number of seeds per pod, seed size (cm), 100 seed weight (g), yield per plant (g), these genotypes were grouped into 5 clusters showing fair degree of relationship between geographical distribution and genetic divergence. Cluster I, with 6 genotypes, was the largest cluster followed by cluster IV and V with 5 genotypes. The intra cluster distance was maximum (D=809.83) in cluster V. The maximum inter cluster distance (D2=2932.162) was recorded between cluster II and III. All cluster mean values are distributed in relatively distant clusters. Traits like yield per plant (70.47%) followed by 100 seed weight (17%) were the major contributors to total genetic divergence.

Highlights

Vigna is an expansive leguminous taxon containing 104 portrayed species conveyed in tropical and subtropical locales of Africa, Asia, America, and Australia [9]
The hybrids between genetically diverse parents yielded greater heterosis than those between more closely related parents a total of twenty one germplasm accessions of blackgram were subjected to divergence studies by D2 statistic [14, 12]
The investigation, which consisted of twenty one blackgram genotypes, was carried out during January to April 2017 at the Plant Breeding Farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Vigna is an expansive leguminous taxon containing 104 portrayed species conveyed in tropical and subtropical locales of Africa, Asia, America, and Australia [9]. It is a widely cultivated legume in all over the world [3]. D2 statistic is one of the potent techniques of measuring genetic diversity in plant breeding. Knowledge about genetic diversity is an invaluable aid in crop improvement strategies. The hybrids between genetically diverse parents yielded greater heterosis than those between more closely related parents a total of twenty one germplasm accessions of blackgram were subjected to divergence studies by D2 statistic [14, 12]

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Findings

AND DISCUSSION