GENETIC DIVERGENCE IN Corchorus capsularis L

Abstract

Forty two white jute genotypes were analyzed through principal component analysis. principal coordinate analysis, canonical variate analysis and non-hierarchical clustering to identify suitable parents having distant relationship for hybridization programme. The genotypes were grouped into six different clusters. Cluster V had the maximum of eleven genotypes while cluster II had the minimum of three genotypes. The highest inter-genotypic distance was found between G36 and G39 and the lowest distance between G4 and G23.The highest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters I and II, and the lowest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters I and VI. The highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster I and the lowest in cluster II. Cluster with large distances were considered more diverged than those with small distances. Genotypes of cluster II had the highest mean values for base diameter, middle diameter, top diameter, core diameter, dry fibre weight and dry stick weight and that of cluster V had the highest mean values for technical height. leaf angle, leaf length and petiole length. Yield and yield contributing characters such as technical height, base diameter. dry fibre weight and dry stick weight contributed more towards genetic divergence considering diversity pattern. Based on inter cluster distances and desirable characters the genotypes G36 and G33 from cluster I: G28 and G35 from cluster II: G7. G39 and G41 from cluster IV; G3 from cluster VI have been selected for hybridization programme.