Diversity study using principal component analysis in barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea(Roxb.) Link)

Abstract

Among nutri-cereals, now-a-days, barnyard millet getting popular among the public for its rich nutritional and cooking qualities. A total of forty genotypes were evaluated in three different environments to study the genetic diversity using Principal Component Analysis.Foremost three components contributed 85.65 % of the total multivariable differences. Germplasm projection delivered four main groups on first two canonical components. Genotypes splitting were on the basis of trait performance. Majority of the traits had explained low to moderate values with negative loadings to PC1, PC2 and PC3 except few traits like thousand grain weight and number of basal tillers, which had positive loadings with high values. Loadings bi-plots of PC1-PC2 and PC1-PC3, classified the groups into two major categories, consisting of late matured –high yielding genotypes on left side and early matured –low to medium yielding genotypes on right side of scattering.

Keywords

• barnyard millet
• principal component analysis
• genetic diversity