C. Banu Teja, S.V. Pawar and K.D. Bhoite
Abstract
Niger (Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass) is a minor oilseed crop cultivated for its oil and seeds. Genetic diversity is crucial for successful breeding, allowing the selection of adaptable resources for specific environments. However, limited data on Niger genotypes hinders effective crop development. In this study, thirty Niger genotypes were evaluated for ten quantitative traits using germplasm obtained from ZARS, Igatpuri, during the Kharif season of 2022 at the College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra. Using Mahalanobis D2 statistics and Tocherââ¬â¢s technique, the genotypes were classified into five clusters based on their genetic characteristics. Cluster I was the largest, comprising fourteen genotypes, clusters II, III and IV comprised four, two and nine genotypes, respectively. While, cluster V is monogenotypic. Cluster IV and Cluster V had the greatest inter-cluster distance (D2 = 44.36), followed by Cluster IV and Cluster I (D2 = 35.55), Cluster III and Cluster IV (D2 = 35.17), Cluster II and Cluster V (D2 = 27.19), Cluster II and III (D2 =21.39) and Cluster I and Cluster II (D2 =20.26). The lowest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster I (D2 = 13.07), while cluster IV had the highest intra-cluster distance (D2= 16.06). Cluster IV exhibits the highest intra-cluster distance, indicating diverse genetic architectures. Cluster III showed low intra-cluster distances, suggesting common genetic origins. Inter-cluster distances revealed significant divergence between clusters, with certain clusters exhibiting similar traits. Oil content contributed most to genetic diversity, followed by seed yield per plant, while days to 50% flowering and number of branches per plant had minimal impact. Based on inter-cluster distances and performance, genotypes IGPN-19-01, IGPN-19-03, IGPN-19-04 IGPN-19-05 and IGPN-19-07 demonstrated superior characteristics, making them potential candidates for future hybridization programs to enhance crop quality and productivity.