1Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171 001 (H.P.).
2Department of Agricultural Botany, Meerut University, Meerut-250 005 (U.P.).
* Part of the Ph. D thesis of Sr. author approved by Meerut University, Meerut (1993).
Fifty two cultures representing tuberosum, andigena and andigena-tuberosum hybrids were studied for genetic divergence on the basis of 11 plant and tuber characters. The cultures were grouped in 11 clusters. The Indian potato varieties released in past showed considerable genetic diversity in constrast to the advanced stage pre release hybrids indicating their development from a narrow genetic base. The tuberosum and andigena cultures segregated in different clusters indicating genetic diversity between them and possibility of getting heterotic effects for various characters on corsslng. The cultures with wlld species in their pedigree showed high genetic diversity and were distributed in almost all clusters. However cultures with common species in their pedigree showed a low diversity. The cultures developed from the same parentage or those involving one common parents also showed low genetic diversity.
