Genetic divergence of sugar yield contributing characters in Saccharum robustum brandes et jeswiet ex grassl.

Fifty one flowering clones of Saccharum robustum were evaluated for yield and quality parameters to study the pattern of genetic divergence using Mahalanobis' D² statistics. The clones were grouped into eleven clusters. Cluster IV was the most divergent. Cluster IX was the most distant from the other clusters. Cluster means indicated that cluster VI was the best for cane yield. but was poor for quality, while cluster IX was the best for quality and was poor for cane yield. Crossing S. robustum clones from divergent clusters for intra-population improvement or hybridization of F₁s evolved by crossing commercial hybrids or S. officinarum clones with S. robustum clones from divergent clusters to derive double Croll hybrids may pave way for enhancing variability so as to select progenies with high stalk yield and improved juice quality.