NATURE AND PATTERN OF GENETIC DIVERGENCE OF SUGAR YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN THE PROGENIES OF SACCHARUM BARBERI

Abstract

Thirty hybrid clones involving Saccharum barberi (B), S. officinarum (0) and Co hybrids (H) were evaluated alongwith their seven parents to study the nature and pattern of genetic divergence. Data on eleven characters of sugar yield were recorded and subjected to multivariate D2 analysis. The clones were grouped in 15 clusters. The clustering pattern showed that grouping of progeny clones was independent of parent cross combinations, i.e. progenies of a cross and their parents were grouped in different clusters. Hybridization among clones from diverse clusters may help in isolating progenies with higher sugar yield and its traits.