Genetic diversity in indigenous germplasm of ash gourd

Wide range of genetic diversity was observed among twenty three germplasm lines of ash gourd collected from different parts of U.P. and Uttarakhand. Genotypes PAG-50, Pant Petha-1, PAG-64, PAG12, PAG-14 and PAG-09 were high yielding lines while considering both the seasons summer and kharif 2006. Based on Mahalanobis’ D² analysis all germplasm lines were grouped into 5 clusters. The clustering pattern indicated that geographical distribution need not necessarily be related to the genetic diversity. Cluster I was very large containing 14 genotypes (summer) and 10 genotypes (kharif) season. The commercially released cultivar Pant Petha-1 was grouped in cluster II along with other genotypes in both the seasons. The inter-cluster distance was found maximum between cluster III and cluster IV (summer) and cluster II and cluster V in (kharif) seasons. The genotypes in these clusters may possibly be utilized in hybrid breeding programme for successful exploitation of hybrid vigour in ash gourd.