*Corresponding Author: Prabir Kumar Bhattacharyya,
Twelve Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers along with twelve morphological markers were used to assess the diversity among thirteen screened genotypes both moderate resistant and susceptible against stemphylium blight of indigenous microsperma germplasm (i.e. pilosae) type of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) at BCKV, West Bengal. Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) of SSR primers ranged from 0.77 (SSR 317-2) to 0.15 (PBA LC 0233). The maximum Jaccard's similarity was recorded between L-4769 and Ranjan (approximately 100%) whereas minimum was between K-75 and VL 126 (0.11). Genotypes K-75 also showed less similarity with DL 14-2 and VL 151 (0.17). Another popular variety WBL 77 showed minimum similarity with moderately resistant genotypes VL 151 and DL 14-2 (0.17). While using morphological characters as the basis of diversity analysis, Euclidean coefficient revealed that high yielding cultivar Subrata was maximum diverse with genotype VL 151(7.12). Asha also showed diversity with VL 151(6.31) whereas VL 151 had dissimilarity coefficient of 6.21 with K-75. Precoz and VL 126 has dissimilarity coefficient of 6.19. On the basis of above findings it could be said that diverse parental pairs VL 151 & K 75 and VL 151 & Subrata / Asha could be used in hybridization programme or biotic stress breeding programme for developing Stemphylium resistant lentil cultivars in future.
Diversity, Lentil, Morphological markers, SSR markers, Stemphylium blight