Multivariate analysis to evaluate common and tartary buckwheat germplasm in Sikkim

Fifteen accessions of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and 21 of tartary buckwheat (F. tataricum) were studied for 15 quantitative and 21 qualitative traits to understand the nature and magnitude of genetic variability using multivariate approach. Significant variation for quantitative traits was recorded for seven traits in common buckwheat and for eleven traits in tartary buckwheat. In common buckwheat seed yield correlated positively with days to maturity while negatively associated with seed weight whereas in case of tartary type number of cymes/plant, seeds/cyme, days to flowering and days to maturity showed positive correlation with seed yield. First five and four principal components (PCs) respectively, in common and tartary type revealed majority of the variability in the accessions which further grouped the test accessions of both the species in to four clusters each. The accessions also showed considerable variation for qualitative traits.