Assessment of Genetic Divergence in Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)

Genetic diversity using Mahalanobis D-square (D²) techniques was studied for yield and yield contributing traits for 26 genotypes of pigeonpea. These genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. Cluster VI had maximum divergence with eight genotypes followed by cluster V having five genotypes. The inter cluster distance were greater than the intra cluster distance revealing that considerable amount of genetic diversity existed among the accession. The maximum and minimum divergence was revealed between cluster V with VIII (58.028) and cluster II with III (13.150) respectively. Cluster VIII exhibited high mean values for number of primary branches/plant, pod weight, 100 seed weight, harvest index and yield/plant. Cluster IV recorded high mean values for plant height, root length and days to maturity. The genotypes of cluster VIII with IV, VIII with VII and VIII with VI are having most divergent with high mean for many characters including yield/plant and can be successfully utilized in hybridization programmes to get desirable transgressive segregants. It is assumed that maximum amount of heterosis will be manifested in cross combinations involving the parents belonging to most divergent clusters.