Genetic diversity analysis among released and pre-release cultures in groundnut

Diversity analysis among released/prerelease groundnut cultures was carried out to assess the genetic relationship which helps in the documentation of the differences in the context of intellectual property rights and to identify diverse parents for use in hybridization programme for improvement of yield and other desirable traits i.e. drought resistance and foliar disease resistance etc.. Twentynine released and pre-release groundnut genotypes were grown during kharif season with protective irrigation in randomized block design with three replications. Data on morphological, yield and yield attributes were recorded. Diversity was analysed through Mahalanobis's D₂ analysis. Twentynine genotypes were grouped into nine clusters. Clustering pattern showed relationship with pedigree and place of breeding. Maximum contribution to diversity was by harvest index, days to emergence and length of main axis and minimum contribution was by number of mature pods per plant.