Genetic Diversity for Yield and Yield Contributing Characters in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

In the present investigation, At RARS, Jagtial, 68 genotypes, including three checks were evaluated for genetic diversity for selection of diverse parents. Divergence studies through D2 statistic indicated the presence of substantial diversity by forming large number of clusters with wide range of inter-cluster distance.The 68 genotypes were distributed into eight clusters based on the D2 values. Among the eight clusters, cluster I was the largest comprising of 30 genotypes followed by cluster II with 22 genotypes and Cluster III and V with six genotypes in each cluster remaining clusters IV, VI, VII, VIII were solitary. The data on character means for eight clusters indicated that, cluster III was having highest mean value for number of capsules per plant, capsule length, capsule width, number of seeds per capsule, seed yield per plant and 1000 seed weight. Cluster VIII for days to 50% flowering, plant height, days to maturity and number of branches per plant. The genotypes JCS 2611, JCS 2454, and JCS 3599 have a high cluster distance and might be employed directly used for adaptation or may be used as parents in future hybridization programme.