Genetic Divergence Analysis In Indigenous Maize Germplasms (Zea Mays L.)

Assessing the genetic diversity is a pre-requisite for any breeding programme to select appropriate parents for hybridization. A total of 105 adapted maize germplasms lines were subjected to Mahalanobis D 2 analysis based on four characteristics viz., plant height, cob height, cob length and number of kernel rows per cob in order to assess the genetic divergence among them. The analysis grouped the genotypes into four clusters. Among them, cluster IV was the largest with 53 genotypes followed by cluster II with 32 genotypes. The percent contribution of each traits for total divergence revealed the highest contribution from Plant height followed by ear length, number of kernel rows per cob and ear height. The maximum intra-cluster distance was observed in cluster II followed by cluster I and IV. The highest inter cluster distance was observed between cluster III and cluster IV followed by cluster I and III indicating greater variability in genetic make up of the genotypes included in these clusters. Based on inter cluster distances, genotypes present in the clusters viz., I, III and IV are advisable to used as parents for hybridization programme to develop heterotic hybrids in maize.