GENETIC DIVERGENCE, VARIABILITY, CORRELATION AND PATH ANALYSIS IN WHITE JUTE (Core/torus eapsularis L)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with fifty one genotypes of white jute from different geographic origin were evaluated to study their genetic divergence, variability, correlation and path analysis with 11 morphological characters. The experiment was carried out at the Central Jute Research Experiment Station of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRL), Jagir, Manikgonj during the period from April to August, 2010. Analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the genotypes for all the characters. Multivariate techniques were used to classify 51 genotypes, which computed by MahalanobisD2statistics. All the genotypes were grouped into six different clusters. Principal component analysis, principal coordinate analysis, canonical variate analysis and cluster analysis gave similar results. Cluster V and VI had the maximum ten genotypes while cluster I had the minimum of seven genotypes. The highest inter-genotypic distance (1.8441) was found between 015, (iso and the lowest distance between Gg and 026 . The highest inter-cluster distance (14.367) was observed between cluster I, IV and the lowest distance (2.458) was found between cluster Ill and V. The highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster I and lowest in cluster V. Considering genetic parameters, high genotypic coefficient of variation (CICV) was observed for branches per plant. High heritability values with moderate genetic advance in percentage of mean were obtained for leaf width, petiole length, nodes per plant. Correlation studies showed positive correlation between fibre yield and its most components. Path analysis showed highest positive direct effect of stick weight on fibre weight followed by base diameter, leaf width and petiole length. Considering the cluster distance, inter-genotypic distance and other agronomic performance, the genotypes 047,033, 048 from cluster 1; 027, 017, 023 from cluster Ill and G13,G40,045 from cluster II were considered to be better parents for future use in hybridization programme.