GENETIC DIVERGENCE IN TRITICALE

Abstract

The geneticdivergence among25 elite lines of triticale alongwith Sonalikacultivarof bread wheat was assessed employing Mahalanobis' D2 analysis based on 16 characters. Four dusters were formed. Cluster I was the largest with 23 lines. The remaining three clusters with one line eachwere highly diverse from one another. The spike length, days to heading and maturity, plant height, spikes per 0.5 m2 , grain hardiness, tillers per plant and grain yield had sizeable individual contribution towards geneticdivergence amonglines. Results revealed the narrow genetic base among elite lines in triticale. The need for widening the genetic base by integrating wheat germplasm into triticale crossing programme has been emphasized.