Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Greengram [vigna Radiata (L.) Wilczek]

Abstract

The present investigation comprised of 25 genotypes of Greengram to analyze the genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation, path analysis and genetic divergence for 12 quantitative traits. Analysis of variance showed significant amount of variability for all traits under study. The genotypes with high mean values in desirable direction i.e., genotype ML-141 has earliest flowering, VBG-04-008 has earliest maturity, IPM-02-19 has short statured height, MH-21 has highest number of branches/plant, MH-521 has highest number of pods/plant and number of pods/cluster, Pusa-371 has highest number of seeds/pod, WNM-16 has longest pod length, kaporgaon has highest test weight, Pusa-371 has highest biological yield/plant and seed yield/plant and Pusa-16 has highest harvest index. The GCV was found lower than PCV for all traits studied. High estimates of GCV and PCV were obtained for number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant and seed yield/plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance observed for plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, number of pods/cluster, pod length, biological yield, harvest index and seed yield/plant indicating that these characters are governed by additive gene action. The genotypic correlation coefficient values were higher than the phenotypic values. It was revealed that seed yield per plant had significant positive correlation with number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, biological yield and harvest index at genotypic and phenotypic level, indicating less influence of environment on association. High positive direct effect towards seed yield/plant was observed by biological yield, harvest index, number of seeds/pod, number of pods/plant, days to 50% flowering, pod length, days to maturity and plant height indicating seed yield/ plant could be improved by selection based on these traits. Cluster I and cluster IV was found to be largest one with seven genotypes each. The intra cluster distance was maximum for cluster IV. Maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster V and cluster II revealed that the genotypes of these cluster are uncorrelated and minimum inter cluster distance between the cluster V and cluster IV revealed that the genotypes of these cluster are strongly correlated. Plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, number of pods/cluster, pod length, biological yield, harvest index and seed yield/plant were identified as high contributors towards genetic diversity.