Assessment of Genetic Diversity and its Associated Traits in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

In India, the rabi pulse Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) holds one of the most important position which is a member of Fabaceae family. Chickpea production accounts for 20% of the total pulse production in the world. The present investigation was carried out in Rabi-2019-2020 at Western Section of Birsa Agricultural University Research Farm, Kanke, Ranchi. Twenty six genotypes of chickpea comprising four checks viz., BG 372, KWR 108, KPG 59 and Birsa Chana 3 were taken for the present investigation. Observations were recorded on eleven quantitative traits and three qualitative traits in this study. Mahalanobis D2 statistics revealed five clusters. Among the five clusters, cluster I (23 genotypes) consisted of maximum genotypes followed by cluster II (4 genotypes) and cluster III, IV, V were mono-genotypic. Based on inter-cluster distances and mean performances of clusters for different traits, the advanced breeding lines among the genotypes belonging to cluster I and IV are expected to produce yield and other yield-related traits.Based on inter-cluster distance and cluster mean genotypes such as GNG1958, GCP105, JG14, BAUG15, BAUG107, BAUG108, BAUG109, BAUG115, BAUG121, BAUG123, BAUG124 and BAUG129 were found suitable for their utilization in hybridization programme. The observations for qualitative characterization on flower colour, seed colour and seed testa texture of thirty chickpea genotypes were recorded as per the guidelines of conduct of test for DUS approved by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA).