GASTI, VILAS D.RAUT, NAMITA.CHITTAPUR, REKHA.KUSTAGI, GAJANAN.REDDI, SANJEEVRADDI G.G. DEEPASHREE2023-10-112023-10-112020UHS18PGM1079https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810198710Seventy-four cluster bean genotypes were collected from different parts of the country and evaluated in augmented block design to study the variability, character association, diversity and molecular diversity at the Department of Vegetable Science, COH, Bagalkote during 2019-20. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant (both at P = 0.01 and p = 0.05) difference among the genotypes for all the characters studied except number of seeds per dry pod and protein content indicating the higher magnitude of variability in the germplasm. The high estimates of heritability coupled with high values of genetic advance over mean were observed for characters like plant height at 90 DAS, number of branches at 90 DAS, number of pod clusters per plant, pod length, pod weight, pubescence, seed yield per plant, seed yield per plot and seed gum content indicates the predominance of additive component for these traits and hence direct selection would be more effective in improving these traits. The results on correlation studies revealed significant and positive association of vegetable pod yield per plant with traits viz., number of branches at 90 DAS, number of pods per plant, days to 50 per cent flowering, pod breadth and germination percentage. Hence, direct selection for these traits would be more useful in the improvement of yield per plant. Based on the per se performance for traits like vegetable pod yield per plant as well as gum content of five genotypes viz., HUB-14, HUB-29, HUB-52, HUB-30 and HUB-9 have been identified as superior genotypes for dual purpose. Based on Mahalanobis D 2 analysis, the 74 genotypes were grouped into 8 clusters. The cluster IV showed maximum intra-cluster distance (D2 = 7698.63), whereas, the maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster IV and VIII (D2 = 195694.8). Among the 24 characters studied, seed yield per plot contributed maximum (61.72 %) towards genetic diversity. Molecular characterization of 74 genotypes of cluster bean was carried out by using 25 SSR markers. The PIC values ranged from 0.00 to 0.62 with an average of 0.36 and the dendrogram revealed three major clusters. Top five genotypes viz., HUB-38, HUB-14, HUB-7, HUB-18 and HUB 22 were recorded high pod yield per plant. Therefore, these genotypes can be further assessed for their stability.EnglishThesis