Genetic divergence in mutants and land races of blackgram (Vigna mungo [L.] Hepper) from Odisha.

A line x tester crossing programme was taken up with ten lines and five testers with a view to identify the best Genetic diversity using Mahalanobis D-square (D2) techniques was studied for yield and yield contributing traits of 44 (17 Land races genotypes from diverse origin and 27 mutants) blackgram genotypes of Odisha. These genotypes were grouped into twelve clusters. Cluster II and cluster V had maximum of nine genotypes each followed by cluster IV having eight genotypes. The inter cluster distance were greater than the intra cluster distance revealing that considerable amount of genetic diversity existed among the accession. The maximum and minimum divergence was revealed between cluster IV with XI and cluster I with X respectively. Cluster VI exhibited high mean values for number of clusters/plant, pods/plant and seeds/pod. Cluster V recorded high mean values for pod length and 100 seed weight. The characters contributing maximum towards diversity among the accessions are days to maturity (27.16%), yield/plant (22.19%), 100 seed weight (18.07%) and plant height (15.85%). These characters combining with early maturity are the major traits causing genetic divergence among the accessions. The genotypes in cluster XI with VI, XII with V and V with VI are having moderate divergence with high mean for many characters including yield and can be successfully utilized in hybridization programmes to get desirable transgressive segregants. It is assumed that maximum amount of heterosis will be manifested in cross combinations involving the parents belonging to most divergent clusters