Genetic Divergence in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes under Normal and Late Planting

摘要

Thirty eight chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes were evaluated to explore the nature and magnitude of genetic divergence for yield and its contributing traits during rabi seasons under normal and late planting using Mahalanobis's D2 Statistics. The data were recorded on thirteen important yield attributing traits from the genotypes raised in randomized complete block design (RCBD) under three replications. Highly significant differences existed among the genotypes tested for all the traits. Cluster analysis revealed wide range of diversity in the genotypes grouped in eleven and seven clusters in normal and late planting respectively. The characters like days topod initiation, days to maturity, 100-seed weight and harvest index, exhibited more contribution towards the genetic divergence under normal planting as compared to late planting. These traits should be considered as more important prior to any breedingprogram to develop heat stress tolerant variety. On the basis of inter and intra-cluster distance coupled with cluster means of different traits, the genotypes classified into clusters VI, X, VII, VIII under normal planting and clusters III, VII, VI andII under stress condition were found to be superior and may be utilized in breeding programs to obtain heterotic recombinants which may yield some transgressive segregants.