Multivariate analysis in late rice genotypes (Oryza sativa L.) under transplanted condition

Rice is the most important food source of the world along with wheat and maize. The present investigation was carried out with an objective to assess genetic divergence among the genotypes to identify superior genotypes with higher yield and ancillary traits to be utilized in future breeding programme. The experiment was carried out on the research field of EB-I section of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, OUAT, during Kharif, 2019.Thirty-two rice genotypes including three check varieties were grown in transplanted condition in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Observations were recorded on 12 yield attributing characters like days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle length, panicle number, number of fertile grains per panicle, fertility percentage, hundred grain weight, flag leaf length, flag leaf area, biological yield, grain yield per plant and harvest index. Statistical analysis revealed significant difference among the genotypes with respect to all characters under study. Thirty-two rice genotypes were grouped into six clusters out of which Cluster I and Cluster II were largest clusters with 11 genotypes each, Cluster V and VI were two mono genotypic clusters. Grain yield per plant contributed highest to overall genetic diversity followed by harvest index. Inter cluster distance was maximum among Custer I and Cluster IV and least between Clusters I and V. Cluster VI was characterized by highest plant height, panicle length, panicle number, number of filled grains per panicle, flag leaf length, flag leaf area, biological yield and grain yield per plant.