Abstract

                                An experiment on genetic divergence analysis in tuberose was carried out at Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2012. Genetic divergence of the double type tuberose genotypes based on yield and component characters were estimated using D2 statistic. Divergence analysis grouped the genotypes into three clusters, respectively. The cluster means revealed the best cluster for various growth and flowering traits depending upon the aim of the breeding, hence the best genotype can be selected from different clusters as parents in a hybridization programme. Cluster I had high mean values for flowering duration (22.08) and rachis length (20.36) and low mean values for plant height (32.63), number of leaves per plant (15.00), spike length (22.46), number of florets per spike (27.00) and floret length (4.01). The cluster II possessed high mean values for plant height (43.69), number of leaves per plant (24.73), spike length (126.15), number of florets per spike (35.48), floret length (6.32), weight of florets per spike (0.86), number of spikes per m2 (1.81), yield of florets per plot (2 * 2 m) (35.28) Yield of florets per plot (2 * 2 m) contributed maximum (35.67 %) towards genetic divergence, followed by weight of florets per spike (24.54 %). Genotypes were much in use having the above mentioned characters in cluster II would offer a good scope for the improvement of this crop through hybridization and rational selection.

Key words : Tuberose, D2 analysis, Selection criteria