Unravelling genetic diversity in linseed using hierarchical cluster and principal component analysis

The present investigation was carried out with 178 linseed accessions including two checks (PKVNL-260 & TL-99) at AICRP on Linseed and Mustard farm, College of Agriculture, Nagpur to assess the extent of genetic diversity and to select the potential diverse parents for the improvement of yield and yield attributing traits in linseed. The accessions were divided into 13 divergent groups using the Wards clustering approach. Cluster III, was largest and consists of 28 accessions, shows a fair connection of genetic variation. Out of 11 PC, PC1 to PC4 with more than one Eigen values account for 65.23 percent of the variability. The accessions viz., EC0718827, EC0718829, EC22813, EC0041764, EC0041598, EC0022813-B, EC0718848, EC0000526, EC41659, EC0541202, EC0000541-A and EC0001403 showed genetic diversity for seed yield per plant, number of capsules per plant and resistance to bud fly infestation. The information obtained from this study can be used to plan crosses and maximize the use of genetic diversity and expression of heterosis.