Genetic Variability and Diversity Studies in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Drought Condition

Genetically diverged 35 genotypes of wheat were collected from India and CIMMYT in which significant differences were observed for all the traits studied, indicated that the considerable amount of variation among genotypes for each character under drought condition. The estimates of GCV and PCV were high for all the characters studied except greenness index, relative water content and plant height which showed the moderate GCV and PCV. High heritability estimates was recorded for all the traits except greenness index and plant height. On the basis of Tocher's method the maximum divergence were observed between Cluster in and VI followed by between cluster III and V. A good hybridization breeding program under drought can be initiated by the selection and intermating of cluster V and cluster VI with drought tolerant genotypes of cluster III for low leaf senescence rate, highphotosynthetic rate and lowest drought susceptibility index. Moreover this trait also exhibited high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean, which might be utilized in hybridization-selection breeding programme for wheat genotypes under water deficit environment.