Genetic Diversity in Sugarbeet (Beta Vulgaris L.)

Genetic divergence, employing Mahalanobis' D² statistic, was worked out among a geographically diverse assortment of 35 genetic stocks of sugarbeet. based on 13 leaf and root characters. All the germplasm lines were grouped in five clusters of which clusters I and II were the largest and closest. The remaining three clusters accounting for five genetic stocks were highly diverse and exhibited characteristics resembling those of the fodder beet. Sucrose content, leaf width, number of leaves and leaf thickness had si/cable individual contribution towards D² value. There was hardly any correspondence between genetic divergence and geographical diversity. Spatially separated stocks were found to be genetically close, pointing to the narrowness of the germplasm being used in breeding elite lines. The need for diversifying genetic variability in sugarbeet through interspecific hybridization has been discussed.