To Identify parenti for crossing, the diversity in a sample of dwarf and non-dwarf inbred lines, using 11 morphological traits was studied in summer season 1994 (E1) and rainy Muon 19M (E2) at ICRISAT Asia Center, Patancheru, India. Significant diversity was observed in this set of 10 inbred lines and five control entries. Inter-cluster and intra-cluster distances were calculated using Mahalanobls D2 statistic. These 15 accessions were grouped into 4 cluster in E1 and E2, as well as across (pooled over) environments. The grouping was fairly consistent and largely independent of environmental influence. The traits that mainly contributed to groupings were time to 50% stigma emergence, panicle length, effective tillers, leaf blade width and 1,000 Brain mass. The set of inbreds ICMP 85410, ICMP 91205, ICMP 83503 and ICMP 89024 were selected for intercrossing since those fell into different groupe.
Pennisetum g1aucum, Pearl millet, divergence, genetic distance, cluster analysis
