GENETIC DIVERGENCE ANALYSIS IN BARNYARD MILLET (ECHINOCHLOA FRUMENTACEA ROXB.) GERMPLASM USING MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR MARKERS

Abstract

Germplasm collection of 145 accessions of barnyard millet were evaluated for fifteen quantitative traits to study the genetic divergence. Among them, high yield along with earliness was seen in GB 6, GB 10 and GB 12. PCGB 41 was high yielding with earliness coupled with high Fe and Zn. GB 30, GB 35, PCGB 2 showed significant performance for high yield and Zn content. GB 41, GB 46, PCGB 1, PCGB 3, PCGB 5, PCGB 6, PCGB 9, PCGB 13 and PCGB 16 showed high Fe content and grain yield. D Cluster analysis suggested composition of 145 genotypes into 24 clusters. Cluster I had a maximum of ninety six genotypes, followed by Cluster XVIII with nine genotypes, Cluster XVI with seven genotypes and Cluster XI, XX, XXIII with five genotypes each. The inter cluster distances varied from 15.46(between cluster II and V) to 246.21(between cluster XII and XX). Inter crossing between the accessions of cluster VII, X, XI, XX and XIX in all possible combinations would exhibit high heterosis and also generate a broad spectrum of variability for effective selection in the segregating generations for development of high yielding cultivars with increased Fe and Zn content in the grain. Out of 25 SSR markers used in this study 24 markers produced clear, scorable and polymorphic marker profile and were used for the further analysis. The PIC values ranged from 0.50 (p88) to 0.95 (b 126) with an average of 0.70. SSR markers used in this study were highly informative and polymorphic.