Maize Breeding Research Sub. Station, (SKUAST-Jammu), Poonch-185101, (J&K)
* Present addjress: Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, FOA, SKUAST-J, Main Campus Chatha, Jammu
** Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, FOA, SKUAST-J, Main Campus Chatha, Jammu
*** Regional Agriculture Research Station, Bharari, Jhansi-284003
One hundred-one maize inbreds along with four check inbreds were evaluated for obtaining information regarding genetic divergence through multivariate analysis using Mahalanobis D2 statistic. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits. The 105 genotypes were grouped into 23 clusters, where cluster III accommodated maximum numbers of entries (51). The inter-cluster distance was highest between cluster II and XXIII and followed by cluster II and XIII, li and XVI, and cluster II and XVII. The maximum contribution towards genetic divergence was observed by grain yield per plant followed by plant height and ears per plant Based on inter-cluster distance and perse performance of genotypes, fifteen inbreds were selected which could be intercrossed to obtain high heterotic crosses
D2 statistic, genetic divergence, maize, Zea mays
