Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Genotypes

Abstract

The present research was carried-out to analysis the genetic diversity in 20 rice genotypes for yield and its associated traits. The cluster analysis, genetic distance and principal component analysis (PCA) were carried out. Results displayed that genotypes differed highly significant differences at (P≤0.01) probability level for all the studied traits, registering the significant genetic diversity among the genotypes for further evaluation. With regards to genetic distance, out of 190 pairs of comparison, number of pairs exposed narrower genetic distance, while couple of pairs revealed greater genetic distance; consequently, these pairs can further be utilized in backcross and heterosis breeding programs in rice crop, respectively. In cluster analysis, all genotypes divided into four clusters, indicating the existence of wider genetic diversity among the tested genotypes. From PCA analysis, five components were isolated from the eleven studied characters. The first, second and third components explained 26.80, 16.80 and 15.10% of total variation, respectively. The cumulative percent of variance accounted for 58.70% in the first three components, demonstrating a significantly high variability that can be exploited for further breeding programs in rice. It is also concluded that diverse parents of this experiment can be used for different hybridization programs in order to get useful recombinants in the segregating generations