Assessing Genetic Diversity and Agro-morphological Variation in Fieldpea Genotypes (Pisum sativum L.) using DUS Descriptors

DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability) characterization of crop varieties is essential for determining the novelty of a variety, ensuring phenotypic consistency across generations and verifying its stability in expression of traits over time. This process is integral to the protection of intellectual property rights and the regulation of seed certification.

One hundred fifty genotypes were evaluated using 20 agro-morphological DUS descriptors at three different locations in Haryana, India (Pulses Research Area, CCS HAU, Hisar, CCS HAU Rice Research Station, Kaul and KVK, Ambala) during the two years i.e. Rabi 2022–22 and 2023–24 (six environments) in Alfa-lattice design with three replications at each location.

High magnitude of variability was observed among fieldpea genotypes for all the studied DUS traits except foliage waxy bloom, stipule rabbit eared stipules, type of stipule, days to 50% flowering and seed weight where single type of plant were observed. These descriptors remained stable across three locations (Hisar, Ambala and Kaul) and can be extremely useful for characterizing fieldpea genotypes. Stem anthocyanin coloration, stem colour, leaflets, flower colour, leaf axil colour, number of pod per axil, pod shape at distal end and seed surface displayed dimorphic variation while, foliage colour, seed shape and seed cotyledon colour exhibited tri-morphic variation and only pod curvature showed tetra-morphic variation. All the 150 genotypes were classified into five clusters, with the highest number of genotypes (63) in cluster III followed by cluster IV (44) and cluster V (22). Whereas, lowest number of genotypes were observed in cluster III (6) followed by cluster II (15).