Multivariate Analysis and the Geographical Distribution of the World Collection of Finger Millet1

Abstract

Analysis of variance of 640 genetic stocks from the world collection of finger millet, Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., indicated highly significant differences among entries for the 18 characters selected. Most of the vegetative characters measured were environmentally labile in contrast to reproductive characters, which were little affected by environment. Some vegetative characters, such as stem width and blade length, were found to be relatively little affected by the environment. The characters under study, in general, did not show high mutual correlation.The data were subjected to principal components analysis. Twelve broad groups have been identified as a result of plotting the first two standardized principal components. Indian material showed clinal variation, with southern and eastern samples forming the extremes. The pattern of variation in African material was distinctly different from that found in India. Ugandan material exhibited distinct separation and isolation from the rest of the material studied.Canonical variate analysis not only supported the above findings, but also distinctly separated the Ethiopian material (which the principal components analysis grouped with some Indian material) into a distinct group of its own.