Genetic variability in black soybean genotypes for agro-morphological and seed quality traits under rainfed condition of Uttarakhand Hills.

Abstract

Black soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is an important grain legume in Uttarakhand hills and contributes significantly in the nutritional security of local inhabitants of this region. In the present study, genetic variability among 24 black soybean genotypes was assessed using multivariate analysis. According to principal component analysis first four principal components (PC) accounted for 86.50 per cent of total variance. PCI, PCII, PCIII and PC IV accounted for 39.86 per cent, 23.06 per cent 13.27 per cent and 10.31 per cent of total variation, respectively. Cluster analysis exhibited significant differences in mean values for various traits in all the three clusters. Cluster I had minimum mean value for days to 50 per cent flowering (43) and maximum mean values for protein (35.40 %) and oil (18.87 %) contents. Cluster II showed maximum mean value for plant height (67.54 cm) and number of nodes per plant (18) with minimum mean value for seed yield per plant (7.63 g) and major yield components viz., 100 seed weight (8.33 g), dry matter weight per plant (17.77 g) and seed quality traits viz., oil (14.73 %) and protein content (34.95 %). From yield and its major component traits cluster III was found promising as it had maximum mean value for seed yield (14.60 g), number of pods per plant (53), 100 seed weight (15.80 g), dry matter weight per plant (30.36 g) together with minimum mean value for basal pod height (9.81 cm) and days to maturity (93).Three genotypes namely VS 2011-117, VS 2011-104 and VS 2011-102 from cluster III were found superior in yield and multiple yield contributing traits. So, genotypes from cluster I and III can produce early maturing, nutritionally superior and high yielding transgressive segregants on hybridization and genotypes of cluster II can be improved by utilization of superior genotypes from both cluster I and III to develop high yielding and protein rich small grain size genotypes for Uttarakhand hills.