Molecular genetic diversity analysis of north west Himalayan bread wheat landraces

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the genetic diversity amongst newlinenorth-west Himalayan bread wheat landraces collected from six districts of Himachal newlinePradesh and Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir using various morphological traits and newlineSSR markers. The experimental material comprised of 104 landraces along with 6 checks newlineviz., Him Palam Gehun-1 (HPW 360), Him Palam Gehun-2 (HPW 368), Him pratham (DH newline114), VL 829, VL892 and C 306 were evaluated for different morphological traits in Alpha newlineLattice Design of 11×10 with three replications during rabi 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. newlineDUS descriptors viz. lower glume: beak length followed by waxiness of blade (flag leaf), newlineear waxiness, waxiness of peduncle and grain shape contributed maximum towards newlinedivergence. Sufficient genetic variability was observed for seed yield and its component newlinetraits suggesting the scope of selection for these traits. High PCV was observed for seed newlineyield per plant and harvest index whereas moderate PCV and GCV observed for plant newlineheight, tillers per plant and 1000-grain weight. High heritability coupled with high to newlinemoderate genetic advance was found for days to 50% flowering, plant height, tillers per newlineplant and 1000-grain weight providing scope for improvement of these traits through newlineselection. Seed yield per plant showed significant and positive correlation with spikelets per newlinespike, grains per spike, biological yield per plant and harvest index. Also, biological yield newlineper plant and harvest index were observed as best selection index for increasing seed yield newlineper plant. Principal component analysis revealed 76 per cent variation which was newlineelaborated by the first four significant principal components. D2 newlinestatistical analysis grouped newlinegenotypes into six clusters whereas molecular analysis delineated them into seven clusters. newlineOn the basis of mean performance, one landrace i.e., G84 was found superior for seed newlineyield, whereas, G66, G72, G89, G90, G92, G97, G98 and G100 expressed high resistance newlineagainst yellow rust