Multivariate Characterization of Indian Bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] Genotypes

In Indian bean, PCV values were slightly greater than GCV, revealing very little influence of environment for their expression. High heritability was expressed by days to first flower, number of pods per plant, pod length and pod yield per plant. High value of heritability along with high genetic advance was observed for number of pods per plant followed by days to first flower and days to first picking. Genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed maximum for number of pods per plant and pod yield per plant. Pod yield per plant showed positive and significant association with number of pods per plant and significant negative correlation with days to first flower and days to first picking at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis revealed that number of pods per plant, number of days taken to first picking; pod length, pod width, seed width and seed length had direct positive effect on pod yield per plant. Multivariate hierarchical clustering depicted the classification of 46 Indian bean genotypes in 2 groups with 17 and 29 genotypes. First group further divided into 2 groups with 7 (VRSEM-765 is genetically different from 6 other genotypes) and 10 genotypes, while 29 genotypes divided into 2 clusters with 13 and 16 genotypes, respectively.