Evaluation of genetic diversity in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

The present investigation was carried out to study inherent genetic diversity among 35 genotypes of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) using Mahalonobis D² statistics. D² analysis grouped studied genetypes into 16 clusters in Environment 1 (Early sowing) and 12 clusters in Environment 2 (Late sowing). The intra-cluster distance was greater in Cluster I of Environment 1 (8.48) and Cluster V of Environment 2 (7.99). While greater inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster X and XIV in Environment 1 and between cluster X and XII in Environment 2. Seed yield per plant contributed the highest towards total divergence in the present study under both environments (49.25% in Environment 1 and 28.41% in Environment 2). The genotypes RFB-14, ET226414, ET226415, HFB-1, ET226430, ET226426 and ET226417 belonging to different clusters in both environments had higher genetic distance and can be used as a parent for further hybridization program for generating the useful variability.