Genetic diversity and population structure of &lt;i&gt;Heteropogon contortus&lt;/i&gt; L. germplasm collected from diverse agro-climatic regions in India and development of a core germplasm set

Ajoy Kumar Roy,Sanat Kumar Mahanta,Pankaj Kaushal,Amaresh Chandra,Roopali Chauhan,Rupali Tewari,Devendra Ram Malaviya

doi:10.17138/tgft(9)359-370

Abstract

Heteropogon contortus, an important constituent of major grasslands of India, Australia and many countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas, is important for pasture and grassland productivity. Hence genetic improvement of the grass needs attention. A genetic variability study, including development of a core subset, was carried out by evaluating 235 accessions collected from different agro-ecological zones of India. The study, based on 16 metric and 14 non-metric traits along with 8 nutritional parameters, indicated that considerable genetic variability existed among the germplasm and selection could result in identification of suitable types for target environments. Clustering and subclustering was performed to select 35 accessions to form a core subset. The statistical analysis indicated that the core subset captured almost all the variability present in the entire germplasm. The study will help researchers to focus future studies on this core subset in developing genetic improvement programs.

Highlights

Observations were recorded on 235 accessions of H. contortus for 16 numeric and 14 non-numeric morphological traits and on 167 accessions for 9 nutritional quality parameters in order to characterize the germplasm being maintained at the IGFRI gene bank, and to further develop a core subset of germplasm
Collections from the State of Uttar Pradesh were from the semi-arid districts near Jhansi and the majority of these 63 accessions grouped in Clusters 3 and 4, with a few in Clusters 1, 5 and 6
Grouping of material based on statistical numerical procedures helps in understanding of variability, which further becomes the basis for identification of core germplasm, which can be exploited in breeding programs

Summary

Introduction

(Poaceae: Andropogoneae) is an important perennial pasture grass. The grass is native to Africa, southern Asia, northern Australia and parts of Oceania and is naturalized in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, East Asia and Oceania. Found in tropical Africa (Soromessa 2011), it is very common in other tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world, in the Indian subcontinent, Burma, North Africa, Australia and the Pacific as a perennial range grass. Reproductive ecology of a native Hawaiian grass (Heteropogon contortus; Poaceae) versus its invasive alien competitor (Pennisetum setaceum; Poaceae). Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (ICAR), New Delhi, India. Bbi.irri.org Jain A; Roy AK; Kaushal P; Malaviya DR; Zadoo SN. Bit.ly/2VompgE Jain A; Zadoo SN; Roy AK; Kaushal P; Malaviya DR.

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