Abstract

                                Fifty genotypes of fox-tail millet (Seteria italica Beav.), the genetic diversity by Mahalanobis'D analysis and to identify the various contributing factors for the genetic divergence. A wide genetic diversity was revealed by the D, analysis wherein the fifty genotypes fall into as many as fifteen clusters. The geographic distribution was not related to genetic diversity. Genotypes chosen from the same eco-geographic region were found scattered in different clusters. This points to the availability of wide genetic variability in types from the same eco-geographic region. Based on the average inter cluster distances (D), the clusters XV. XIV and XII were found to be highly divergent from the others. The type ISe 380 (Cluster 1V) was superior for grain weight, panicle length. number of branches, piant height and straw yield. The type ISe 207 (Cluster VIII) Rankod first in grain yield while ISe 10 (Cluster XIV) was earlier with regard to number of days to half bloom. Utilizing these types which are highly divergent is likely to result in wide spectrum of variability through hybridization. The rank total analysis disclosed that number of branches. grain yield. panicle length and grains per branch contributed. maximum to genetic divergence.

Key words :