Identification of diverse forage sorghum genotypes based on cluster analysis

Abstract

A field experiment comprising of 50 genotypes of forage sorghum was laid out in CRBD. Enough variability was observed among the genotypes under study as revealed by ANOVA. Genetic divergence analysis grouped the genotypes into six clusters based on quantitative and qualitative traits. Cluster I had the maximum number of genotypes, followed by clusters III and V with ten genotypes each; cluster IV had nine genotypes; cluster II had seven genotypes and cluster VI had only one genotype. The maximum intra cluster distance was observed in clusters I followed by cluster V and cluster III. Intra-cluster distance is measure of the amount of variability present within cluster. The highest inter-cluster distance was found between the clusters I and III followed by the clusters I and V which confirms that genotypes in these clusters are more diverse. Use of genetically diverse genotypes of clusters VI and III in hybridization program would help to evolve the genotypes with high fodder yield and good quality.

Keywords

• forage sorghum
• diversity
• green fodder
• quality