Genetic Divergence and Potentiality of Castor (Ricinus communzs L.) Germplasm Collected from North-East India

Eighty-nine accessions collected from North-east India were studied for genetic divergence and potentiality for yield and other economic traits. A number of accessions were identified as sources of traits of breeders' interest. Sources of resistance to fusarium wilt, jassids and serpentine leaf miner were identified. Eighty-nine accessions were grouped into six clusters. The diverse clusters derived could be used in hybridization programme to generate a wide range of transgressive segregates in populations for development of high yielding, disease and insect resistant cast or varieties.