Vol. 9, Special Issue 3, Part E (2025)

Genetic divergence present in a population provides a good opportunity to create better genotypes with beneficial traits. In the present investigation, a total of 288 Mungbean genotypes and germplasm collected from different sources were evaluated through estimation of D² values, Canonical Analysis and some selection parameters for yield and yield contributing traits at the research farm of Seed Technology Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, during the Kharif season 2022. The Analysis of variances indicated significant differences among the genotypes for all traits under study. Based on D² values, 288 genotypes and germplasm were grouped into ten clusters. Cluster VII was found appropriate for within group hybridization due to presence of most heterogenous genotypes and germplasm with higher diversity indicating maximum intra-cluster distance. Maximum the inter-cluster distance, higher the genetical variability present which can be used for hybridization programme. The average inter-cluster distance was found maximum between cluster VII and IX followed by cluster V and VII and cluster VIII and IX. Cluster I consisted of maximum number of genotypes and germplasm.

According to the canonical analysis results 5 PCs explained 79.48% of the variation among the nine traits. Furthermore, the maximum contribution towards divergence was observed for plant height (49.81%), followed by the number of pods per plant (20.10%), days to maturity (15.05%), days to 50% flowering (11.53%), seed yield per plant (2.16%), number of seeds per pod (0.7%), number of branches per plant (0.62%), pod length (0.04%) and hundred seed weight (0.01%).