1Department of Vegetable Crops, Horticulture College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641 003
2Department of Rice, Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641 003
*E-Mail: gvadivuguruswamy@gmail.com
Online published on 26 November, 2018.
Thirty five muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design with two replications to check its genetic diversity. Based on D2 analysis these genotypes were grouped in to 11 clusters. Out of eleven clusters, cluster I was the largest, comprising of seven genotypes. Among 21 characters studied, fruit yield per vine (24.54%) contributed maximum towards expression of genetic divergence followed by beta carotene (23.53%), fruit fly infestation (18.49%), total sugars (6.72%), sex ratio (6.39%) and seed yield per fruit (5.21%). Maximum intra cluster distance was found in the cluster VII followed by XI, X and I. The genotypes in the most divergent clusters VI and VIII could be used for hybridization programme to develop best performing hybrids.
Clustering and Genetic Divergence, Muskmelon
