Genetic diversity analysis of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

The present study has been designed to study the genetic divergence and clustering pattern in different environments and to identify most divergent genotypes of durum wheat to be used as donor parent genotypes for breeding high yielding genotypes. To meet the objective, fifty genotypes were grown in four environments in RBD with three replications to estimate the genetic divergence and clustering pattern of genotypes. Analysis of variance suggested that sufficient variability existed in the material. The mean squares due to environment were significant for majority of the characters studied indicating that the environments were variable for testing the material. The fifty genotypes of durum wheat were grouped in seven clusters in all the environments. In environment I, maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster I and VI (7.40) in environment II between cluster III and V (6.224), in environment III between cluster IV and VI (6.735) and in environment IV between cluster II and III (6.571). The maximum contribution to genetic divergence was made by number of spikelets per spike followed by number of grains per spike and 100-grain weight. DDW-01 and NI-59 were identified as the most divergent genotypes. The environment- I and III (timely sowing during both year) was optimum for the fullest expression of genotypes for character plant height, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, biological yield and harvest index.