1Department of Horticulture, Bihar Agricultural College, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur-813210, Bihar, India
2Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Bihar Agricultural College, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur-813210, Bihar, India
3Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural College, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur-813210, Bihar, India
Genetic divergence of 12 Cape gooseberry Indian genotypes for morphological parameters was estimated using Mahanalobis D2-analysis. The genotypes were grouped into four clusters, the cluster-II was the largest with 5 genotypes followed by cluster I and cluster IV with 3 genotypes, and cluster III with 1 genotype. Clustering pattern indicated no association between geographical distribution of genotypes and genetic divergence. The inter-cluster distances were higher than the intra-cluster distance suggesting wider genetic diversity among the genotypes of different groups. The intra-cluster value was maximum in cluster I and II and minimum cluster III and IV. The inter-cluster D2-values indicated maximum distance between cluster I and IV followed by between I and III, and between I and II, showing wide diversity between the groups. Fruit diameters, duration of fruit set to maturity, number of flower per branch, fruit weight and inter-nodal length showed maximum contribution towards total divergence among the genotypes. Thus, the genetically diverged genotypes identified in this study, could be used as parents in hybridization programme for getting desirable segregants.
Genetic divergence of Cape gooseberry was estimated by Mahanalobis D2-analysis Genotype selection done by divergence method. Diversity positively correlates with heterosis.
Cape gooseberry, genetic divergence, physalis peruviana, cluster, D2 analysis
