Identification of New Sources for Good Quality High Biomass Yield and other Promising Traits in Mini Core Collection of Forage Sorghum

Mini core collection of forage sorghum was evaluated for genetic diversity analysis in randomized block design. Observations were taken for total of thirty traits including quantitative and quality traits. Eleven principal components were extracted on the basis of PCA. First to eleventh principal components explained 16.42, 7.70, 6.98, 6.98, 6.83, 6.69, 5.74, 5.10, 4.87, 4.74, 4.31% of the total variance, respectively. The first eleven principal components had eigen values more than one and explained 75.77% of the total variability of the original data units. On the basis of principal component analysis genotypes IS 651 and IS 23890 were found to be better for green fodder, dry fodder, DDM and mineral content; IS 28614, G 46 and SSG 59-3 recorded better performance and implied their superiority for fodder yield and resistance against stem borer, shoot fly and grey leaf spot; ICSV 700 was found better for fodder yield and IVDMD and low HCN and lignin content. Use of these genotypes is suggested in breeding programme as different sources/parents for further improvement of forage sorghum for green and dry fodder yield, IVDMD, mineral content and disease resistance.