Genetic Diversity Studies in Maize (Zea mays L.) Germplasm from India

In the present investigation D² values ranged from 36.84 to 369.02 and 40 genotype comprising 38 inbreds and 2 hybrids are grouped into seven and two clusters respectively. Among the clusters with inbred lines the cluster I with 16 inbreds emerged as dominating cluster followed by cluster III with 11 inbreds, cluster IV with 5 inbreds, cluster V with 3 inbreds and cluster II, VI, VIII were monogenotypic. The character grain yield per plant (46.15%) was the maximum contributor towards divergence followed by ear head height (37.69%), 100 grain weight (6.41%), and plant height (3.85%). On the basis of inter cluster distances, cluster means, per se performance observed in the present study the five genotypes viz Hyd 08R-2374-1, Hyd 08R-2614-2, GPM-320, GPM-35, and Hyd 08R-864-7 were found to be superior genotypes for further breeding programme.