Genetic variability and diversity in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) under rainfed conditions

Genetic variability and diversity of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajanL. Millsp.) genotypes(102) in respect of days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), primary branches/plant, secondary branches/plant, pods/plant, pod length (cm), seeds/pod, 100-seed weight and seed yield/plant were studied under rainfed conditions with terminal moisture stress. Genotypic coefficient of variation revealed seed yield/plant had greater range of variability followed by pods/plant and secondary branches/plant. Heritability in broad sense was moderate indicating influence of moisture stress on these traits. However, high genetic advance as per cent of mean indicated additive gene effects governing the traits providing ample scope of improvement. Divergence analysis using D² statistics grouped genotypes into 8 clusters. Cluster I comprised of 89 genotypes from same and/or different geographical origin. Cluster II had 7 genotypes having greatest intra-cluster distance. Rest of the clusters (III-VIII) possessed single genotype. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster V and VIII (10.28) followed by cluster IV and VIII (10.17) while the least distance was between clusters III and IV (3.92). The genotypes ‘ICP 11204’(Cluster IV), ‘KPBR 80-2-2’(Cluster III) and ‘KPBR 80-2-1’ (Cluster VII) with high cluster distance and mean for yield and yield contributing traits were considered desirable for hybridization and selection of transgressive segregants to enhance yield potential under terminal moisture stress.