Principal component analysis and grouping of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) gene pool for genetic diversity

Abstract

Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses were carried out with eight quantitative traits in 100 germplasm accessions of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Monech). Principal factor analysis identified three principal components which explained about 66.35% variability. PC 1 explained maximum variability of 31.05% of total variation for morphological traits and PC 2 loaded with 19.66% of total phenotypic variability and PC 3 had contributed 15.64% of the total variation. PCA revealed that 100 seed weight, Plant height, leaf blade length and width were important traits depending upon their loading variables on a common principal axis. Sorghum germplasm accessions viz., IS 6312, IS 6238, MS 7885, AS 4242, AS 5763, IS 7270, AS 4669 and AS 7076 were identified as superior genotypes based on principal component trait analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis emphasized on 100 accessions and grouped into eight clusters. Maximum of 32 genotypes were grouped in cluster III and showed more divergence of plant height related traits. Cluster number V and VIII had only one genotype each and both were to be superior for 100 g weight and length of panicle branches. Both PCA and clustering registered same level of variability between genotypes. Hence these superior accessions may further be utilized in breeding programmes for evolving sorghum varieties with high yield.