Studies on genetic diversity in chickpea utilizing morphological and total seed protein markers

Genetic diversity among seventeen chickpea varieties was investigated utilizing agro morphological traits and total seed protein markers. Morphological markers grouped all the desi genotypes (9) except ICCV10 under Cluster I, whereas kabuli genotypes (7) were grouped in three clusters. Dendogram developed based on total seed protein profile revealed that the seventeen genotypes could be grouped into two clusters broadly at a distance of 25. Similarity index between all possible pairs of seventeen genotypes showed a range of 0.074 (Vishal and ICCV-10) to 0.579 (JAKI-9218 and ICCC 37). The correspondence between different methods might be improved by analyzing more morphological characters, storage proteins and DNA markers.