Assessment of variability for agro-morphological traits in elite lentil (Lens culinaris) lines using multivariate analysis

Abstract

Genetic variability was assessed using multivariate analysis among elite lentil lines derived through hybridization between macrosperma and microsperma types. As per principal component analysis, first four principal components (PC) expressed 83.50% of total variation in which PC I, PC II, PC III & PC IV accounted for 34.73%, 27.14%, 11.94% and 9.69% of total variation, respectively. On the basis of cluster analysis, cluster III was found promising for yield and its major component traits as it had the highest mean values for number of pods per plant (69), 100 seed weight (1.81g), seed yield per plant (1.73g), biological yield per plant (5.0g), harvest index (35.13%) and maturity (159 days). The correlation study between yield and its components, traits viz., biological yield per plant (r=0.70), number of pods per plant (r=0.55) and delayed maturity (r=0.40) were found major yield contributing traits and can be given due emphasis during development of improved genotypes of lentil for rainfed condition of Uttarakhand hills.