Genetic Divergence and Hybrid Performance in Chickpea

Multivariate analysis was done to find out genetic divergence among 28 chickpea populations comprising 7 parents and 21 hybrids from all possible crosses among the parents. The inter-and intracluster D² values, of the parental clusters and the pattern of distribution of hybrids vis-a-vis their respective parents across the dusters suggest that there was appreciable genetic diversity among the parents as well as hybrids. Parental genotypes originating from the same geographical region also did not show any affinity among themselves in the formation of clusters, thus, showing lack of correspondence between geographical and genetic diversity. Study of relationship between divergence of the parents and heterosis in the hybrids revealed that the parents separated by D² values of medium magnitude generally showed higher heterosis for different characters.