Vol. 10, Issue 7 (2021)

Author(s):
Gaurav Singh, Vinod Singh, KP Singh, Sudhanshu Singh and Aman Singh

Abstract:
A field experiment was carried out with 100 diverse indigenous genotypes of bread wheat along with four checks in Augmented Block Design for genetic variability, character association and divergence analysis, divided in to 6 blocks of equal size. Each block had 20 plots of test entries along with 4 checks (viz. NW-2036, DBW-14, NW-1014 and NW-1076). The trial was conducted at Main Experimental Station Research Farm of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.) during Rabi 2019-20. The observations were recorded on eleven quantitative characters viz. days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, flag leaf area, spike length, number of spikelet per spike, test weight/(1000-grain weight), grain yield per plant, biological yield per plant and harvest index. Results revealed that 96 indigenous lines and 4 check varieties of wheat were grouped into eleven distinct clusters by using nonhierarchical Euclidean cluster analysis. It indicated the existence of high degree of genetic diversity present in the varieties/lines. Therefore, these varieties/lines may serve as valuable source for selection of diverse parents. The maximum intra-cluster distance was found for cluster IX followed by cluster III and cluster II. The minimum intra-cluster distance was recorded for cluster IV followed by cluster I and cluster II. The highest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters IX and V, followed by cluster IX and IV, cluster VIII and V. The lowest inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster VIII and VI followed by cluster VI and I, cluster IX and VI. Hence, crosses should be made between these widely related genotypes located in intra and inter cluster distances, to get desirable extent of heterotic potential in order to increase the production and productivity of wheat in North Eastern Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh.