Genetic diversity analysis for yield and yield attributing characters in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

In the present study, 60 rice genotypes were selected to evaluate the genetic divergence for 15 yield and yield attributing characters. Based on Mahalanobis D2 statistic, the 60 genotypes were grouped into nine clusters. On the basis of  genetic distance and cluster means, clusters IV and IX, VI and IX, I and IX, were identified as clusters with high inter-cluster distance. Genotypes of these clusters could be used as parents in crop improvement programmes for generation of promising segregants. Days to maturity and thousand grain weight were observed to contribute  highly towards divergence. Hybridisation between the genotypes SMB3 (cluster VIII) and Juma (cluster IV) could be recommended for recombination breeding to get superior transgressive segregants for earliness and desirable yield attributing characters