Determination of genetic diversity in Chenopodium spp.

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted for two successive seasons to assess the genetic diversity in 44 germplasm lines of Chenopodium. Eleven agronomic traits were analyzed for cluster and principal component (PC) analysis. The first 4 PCs contributed 88.10 % of the variability present among the lines. Three characters contributed positively to all the 4 components. The first principal component (PC1) had plant height, inflorescence length and stem diameter as the variables with largest coefficients. The germplasm was categorized in 4 clusters following Ward's method. A wide range of diversity for most of the traits were observed that would enable breeders to identify lines with suitable traits to be used in hybridization programmes for broadening the genetic base.