Nature of genetic diversity for seed yield and its component traits in urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]

Genetic diversity was assessed in thirty urdbean cultivars including advance breeding lines by Mahalanobis D² statistics using seed yield and its component morphological traits. Analysis of genetic diversity revealed considerable amount of diversity among the genotypes and led to their grouping into eight clusters. The cluster-I comprising 14 genotypes was the largest followed by cluster-II and III with 5 and 4 genotypes respectively. The remaining clusters were monogenotypic. Pods per plant (32.5%), seed yield per plant (30%) and plant height (21.5%) were mainly responsible for genetic diversity. Based on inter-cluster distance and mean performance of clusters for different traits, the crosses among genotypes like, DBG-5, DU-1, Manikya, KU-7638, and DBG-3 are expected to produce desirable segregants for yield and other yield related traits.