Exploring Genetic Diversity in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Under Normal Sown Condition of Bihar

Aims: The present investigation was undertaken to study the nature and magnitude of genetic diversity among chickpea genotypes.

Study Design: The experimental material comprised of forty genotypes of chickpea in Rabi 2016-17 at Pulse Research Farm, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour (Bhagalpur). The experiment was laid in a randomised complete block design with three replications during Rabi with the inclusion of the recommended packages and practices needed for a healthy crop

Results and Discussion: Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the forty genotypes for all the characters studied indicating that significant amount of genetic variability present in the material. The cluster I had maximum elven genotypes followed by cluster VI, 08 genotypes, cluster III, 07 genotypes and IV having five genotypes, while cluster II and V had four genotypes, respectively. The cluster VII was mono-genotypic having one genotype. The intra-cluster D2 value ranged from 0.00 to 25.16 while, inter-cluster D2 value ranged from 30.73 to 204.05. The maximum intra cluster distance was exhibited by cluster V followed by cluster I and cluster IV. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster II and VII (204.05), followed by cluster II and V (170.79) and cluster III and V (157.56) suggesting that the genetic architecture of the genotypes in one cluster differ entirely from those included in other clusters. The genotypes BAUG 108, H12-63, RKG13-380, AKG1303 and KWR108 were identified as genetically diverse parents, which can be utilized for future crop improvement programme in Chickpea.

Conclusion: The above results indicate that these genotypes have maximum genetic diversity and useful for developing a large number of segregants through crossing programme by using maximum diverse genotypes.