GENETIC VARIABILITY AND DIVERSITY ANALYSIS FOR THE SELECTION OF DIVERSE INBRED LINES IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) CROP

Wide range of genetic variation among the studied genotypes for genetic variability and diversity analysis was observed for traits viz. days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, days to 80% maturity, final plant stand, plant height, ear height, ear length, ear girth, number of cobs per plot, number of kernel rows per cob, number of kernels per row, test weight, shelling percentage and grain yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean was recorded for grain yield, test weight, ear height, number of cobs per plot, number of kernels per row, number of kernel rows per cob, ear length, ear girth and plant height. Maximum contribution in percentage towards total genetic divergence was obtained for trait number of kernel rows per cob followed by number of cobs per plot, test weight, number of kernels per row and ear length. On the basis of D2 values, the 196 genotypes were grouped into 8 clusters. Cluster I and II were the largest clusters with 34 genotypes followed by cluster III (31 genotypes), cluster V (23 genotypes), cluster VII (21 genotypes), cluster VIII (20 genotypes), cluster VI (17 genotypes) and cluster IV with 12 genotypes. The cluster IV had the maximum D2 value (2.950) followed by Cluster VIII (D2=2.856) and Cluster III (D2=2.702). The inter cluster D2 values of the eight clusters revealed that highest inter cluster generalized distance (D2= 6.765) was between cluster IV and cluster VI, while the lowest (D2 = 2.257) between cluster I and cluster VII