STUDIES ON DIVERGENCE IN GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.)ANAMIKA ROY, LAL AHMED M., J. DAYAL PRASAD BABU, Y. AMARAVATHI, K. VISWANATH4 AND B. SREEKANTHAbstract The present experiment was conducted to the diversity present in 33 genotypes of groundnut collected from different parts of the country and world for yield and yield components and their contribution towards divergence. The analysis of variance indicated sufficient variability among the genotypes for all the characters. The D2 analysis revealed presence of considerable diversity among the 33 genotypes and were grouped into six clusters using Tocherâs method. The maximum number of genotypes (11) were present in the cluster II followed by cluster I with 10 genotypes and cluster III with nine genotypes. Clusters IV, V and VI formed solitary clusters with single genotype each. The maximum contribution towards genetic divergence was recorded from the traits, 100 kernel weight followed by days to 50 % flowering and harvest index. The inter cluster distance ranged from 52.40 to 298.70 and was observed between the clusters V and VI followed by clusters IV and V, clusters III and V, clusters I and V, clusters III and IV, clusters II and V, clusters II and III, clusters II and IV, clusters I and VI, clusters II and VI. Thus, genotypes from these clusters having maximum inter cluster distance can be included in hybridization programme in order to obtain superior and desirable recombinants based on the cluster mean values. |