Genetic divergence stud ies for grain yield and other quantitative traits in durum wheat (Triticum durum L.)

Genetic divergence study on duram wheat (Triticum durum L. Desf.) was consist twenty three genotypes of diverse sources. The experiment was conducted at IARI, Collaborative Outstation Research Center, Mandsaur in Rabi 2017–18 in Randomized Complete Block design with three replications. Thesedurum wheat genotypes included with one check were grouped into seven different clusters namely cluster I (seven genotypes), cluster II (six genotypes), cluster III (three genotypes), cluster IV(three genotypes) and cluster V (four genotypes). This indicates that the genotypes grouped with in a particular cluster are more or less genetically similar to each other and apparent wide diversity is mainly due to the remaining genotype distributed over rest of the other cluster.The highest intra cluster distance for yield traits was found in cluster II (2.467). The lowest values for intra cluster distances were recorded for cluster III (1.794).The maximum inter cluster distance (D²-values) was found between cluster IVa nd II (4.870), followed by cluster IV and cluster III (4.842). The lowest value for inter cluster distance for cluster III and I (2.915). The hybridization between the genotypes SKAF-510, HI-1605, LOC-1 (check)(group-IV) with SKAF-620, SKAF-58 and SKAF-6156(group-III) would produce heterotic hybrids and wide spectrum of variability in subsequent generations. It may be used as parents for hybridization after determining their combining abilities so as to obtain considerably batter promising segregates, recombinantspopulation in durum wheat breeding program.