Department of Agril. Botany, Gujarat Agricultural University, Junagadh - 362 001, India.
The genetic distance for 55 genotypes of soybean collected from different soybean growing states of India was estimated using D2 statistics. The results showed adequate diversity for all the traits among all possible 1485 pairs of genotypes with values ranging from 4.69 to 2324.12. The results revealed that 55 genotypes were grouped into eleven clusters I to XI with substantial genetic divergence between them. Cluster I was very large comprising 20 genotypes, while cluster X and XI were solitary clusters. The maximum inter cluster distance was obtained between cluster IX and XI (D = 43.58) followed by those between cluster II and XI (D = 40.11) which may serve as potential parents for hybridization programme. The genetic divergence had little to do with the geographic factor as noticed by the random distribution of genotypes into various clusters. Oil content, protein content and 100-seed weight were the major attributes governing the genetic divergence.
