Genetic diversity analysis in aromatic rice of Manipur

The field investigation, carried out was at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding research farm of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Utlou, Bishnupur District, Manipur, in kharif season of the year 2022, using seventeen aromatic rice genotypes in Randomized Block Design with three replications, showed appreciable amount of diversity among genotypes and analysis of variance displayed greatly remarkable variation of ten characters. Analysis of divergence through D2 statistics revealed maximum distance between genotype G7-Chakhao amubi and genotype G16-Napneng haenghmei (1520.91). Using Tocher’s method of cluster formation, three clusters have been classified. Cluster I (313.23) was noticed the largest intra cluster distance. Largest inter-cluster distance noticed among cluster II and III (1389.46) which is come after cluster I and III (1028.72). Parents which are genetically apart from those clusters could make greater heterosis on hybridization in offspring. Genotypes included in cluster II determined shorter plant height with earliness in flowering and maturity, longer panicle length, more 1000- grains weight and high grain L/B ratio. Genotype included in cluster III showed more number of grains per panicle and higher grain yield per plant and cluster mean values showed. Highest contributors towards total genetic diversity among the genotypes studied were days to 50 per cent flowering and plant height. Therefore, days to 50 per cent flowering and plant height may be given importance during selection of parents in hybridization programme. Based on these findings, various objectives of breeding in the aromatic rice genotypes of Manipur could be continued. The superior genotypes found could be exploited in hybridization programme.