Genetic diversity in elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) of Bihar
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Date
2019
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Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar)
Abstract
The present study was undertaken with twenty-one germplasm accessions of elephant foot yam, which was obtained from germplasm collections at T.C.A., Dholi, including one released variety Gajendra. The experiment was carried out at T.C.A., Dholi Research Farm of Dr. R.P.C.A.U., Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, in a completely Randomized Block Design with two replications during 2018 for study of Genetic diversity in elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) of Bihar. Data were collected for ten characters viz., days to sprouting, pseudostem length (cm), pseudostem girth (cm), leaf canopy diameter (cm), chlorophyll content (SPAD), calcium oxalate (mg/100gm), dry matter (%), days to maturity, no. of cormels per plant and corm weight per plant (Kg.). Statistical analysis carried out were, analysis of variance, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance, correlation coefficient analysis, path analysis and genetic diversity.
Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the germplasm for all the ten characters under study. Maximum range was found for the characters like pseudostem length followed by leaf canopy diameter, days to sprouting, days to maturity, chlorophyll content, pseudostem girth and no. of cormels per plant. The phenotypic coefficient of variance was greater than genotypic coefficient of variance for all the characters under study and high magnitude of PCV and GCV were observed for traits like no. of cormels per plant followed by corm weight per plant, pseudostem length, days to sprouting, pseudostem girth, calcium oxalate, chlorophyll content and leaf canopy diameter indicating that these traits could be used for corm yield improvement. High estimates of heritability coupled with high
genetic advance expressed as percentage of mean were observed for characters like days to sprouting, pseudostem length, pseudostem girth, leaf canopy diameter, chlorophyll content, calcium oxalate, no. of cormels per plant and corm weight per plant indicating effectiveness of selection due to preponderance of additive gene action for these traits and direct selection may be effective for these traits.
The characters like pseudostem girth, pseudostem length, chlorophyll content and leaf canopy diameter had highly significant and positive correlation with corm weight per plant. Such correlation indicates true relationship and thus assists in predicting corm yield. Path analysis revealed that chlorophyll content had high positive direct effect on corm weight per plant. While, psuedostem length and calcium oxalate had moderate positive direct effect on corm weight per plant. Thus, these characters have to be given importance in selection process for improvement in corm yield.
All the twenty one germplasm were grouped into five clusters using D2 statistics following clustering suggested by Tocher. Highest inter cluster distance was observed between cluster IV and V (238.93) followed by cluster I and IV (229.41) and cluster III and V (172.38) on the basis of their genetic distances. Germplasm from these clusters may be utilized under inter varietal hybridization programme for getting superior recombinants.
Cluster IV showed maximum cluster mean values for corm weight per plant (1.61) and attributing characters like pseudostem girth (14.50), leaf canopy diameter (117.40), chlorophyll content (36.15), calcium oxalate (10.93), dry matter (22.60) and days to maturity (208.00), while cluster II showed maximum cluster mean values for pseudostem length (67.19). Therefore, selection of parents from different clusters might be done for desired traits on the basis of higher cluster mean values. Calcium oxalate followed by corm weight per plant, days to sprouting and no. of cormels per plant were having maximum contribution towards total divergence.
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