GENETIC DIVERSITY ANALYSIS FOR QUANTITATIVE TRAITS IN LENTIL (LENS CULINARIS MEDIK.) GERMPLASM

Abstract

The genetic parameters, character association, path coefficient analysis and clustering pattern were studied on a large number of lentil germplasm accessions (one thousand eighty six) during 2009 and 2010 at New Delhi. Significant variation was noticed for all the traits. High heritability estimates were observed for all the traits except number of primary branches/plant followed by seeds/pod. In general phenotypic coefficients of variability were greater than their corresponding genotypic coefficients of variability, High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance and moderate to high GCV were observed for days to 50% flowering (67%) maturity (57%) and pods/plant (24%) and seed yield (80%) indicating that these characters are mainly governed by additive genes and selection of such traits might be effective for the improvement of seed yield. Inclusion of diverse parents in hybridization programme serves the purpose of combining desirable genes in new recombinations. Non-Heirarchial euclidean cluster analysis distributed the genotypes into three broad clusters. Crosses if attempted between cluster 1 and either of cluster II or III would produce desirable recombinants for grain yield. Based on the results of the means of the two years considering together for various traits the following accessions were found superior for early flowering (IC-560333, IC-559639, IC-560111, IC-311161, IC-345491) for extra tall (IC-559744, IC-559608, IC-560040, IC-560291, IC-559763) and for higher number of pods/plant (IC-398094, L-7740, L-169, JBT-3164, L-322) Diversified germplasm possessing different desirable traits may prove useful for incorporation of these traits in the lentil improvement programme