Genetic diversity analysis in selected germplasm lines of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Abstract

In the present study, a total of 155 genotypes along with five checks 'A-1, PBNS-12, AKS-207, PKV Pink, Bhima' were assessed 
to study the genetic diversity among the genotypes. These genotypes were grouped into eleven clusters based on the 
measurements of genetic divergence obtained by means of Mahalanobis distance (D2) and in the grouping by Tocher 
optimization method. The average inter cluster distance was maximum between clusters VI and IX (7037.21) followed by 
clusters III and IX (6895.24), clusters IX and XI (6756.33), clusters IX and X (5760.02), clusters VII and IX (5724.53) which 
indicated that the genotypes included in these clusters may give high heterotic responses and thus better segregants. The present 
study projected the importance of  GMU-4502, GMU-4934, GMU-4507 as parents for higher heterosis in F1 and potential 
transgressive segregants  in subsequent generations as they have least mean values for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity 
whereas high mean values of GMU-4839, GMU-4934, GMU-40, GMU-5032, GMU-2969, GMU-5663 and GMU-3740 for 
characters viz. plant height, number of primary branch per plant, number of capitula per plant, volume weight, 100- seed weight,  
seed yield per plant and oil content respectively suggest their further improvement in respect to these yield attributing characters.