Multivariate Assessment of Genetic Diversity among Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes under Early Sowing Conditions
Prakhar Singla
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Pawan Kumar
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Harsh Deep
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Sonu Langaya
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Vishal Saini
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Naveen Phogat
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India.
Sagar
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India and Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Versha *
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004, India and Department of Agriculture Science, Starex University, Gurugram, Haryana, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The suitability of bread wheat genotypes for early sowing depends on the expression of phenological, physiological and yield-related traits. This study examined multivariate diversity among 48 bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown under early sowing at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The genotypes were evaluated in a randomised block design with three replications, and 18 traits were assessed. Standardised observations were subjected to Ward's hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA). Five clusters were identified, with C3 comprising 19 genotypes and C2 containing only WH 730 and UP 2473. Inter-cluster squared Euclidean distances ranged from 29.68 between C1 and C5 to 79.85 between C2 and C5. Cluster C2 headed approximately 13 days earlier than the trial mean. Cluster C1 recorded the highest grain yield (13.80 g per plant), biological yield, effective tillers per metre and canopy temperature depression. Cluster C3 had the longest grain-filling duration (48.28 days) and greatest thousand-grain weight (44.24 g), whereas C5 showed the highest grains per spike and harvest index. Six principal components with eigenvalues greater than one explained 80.66% of total variation. The second component was associated with grain yield, biological yield, tillering, grain-filling duration and canopy temperature depression. These findings support the consideration of crosses between C1 and C3, and between C3 and C5, for subsequent evaluation under early-sowing conditions.
Keywords: Bread wheat, early sowing, Ward’s clustering, principal component analysis, parent selection