Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Different Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Genotypes

Abstract

Eleven genotypes of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) were investigated to understand the extent of genetic diversity through 16 growth and yield attributing characters. Genetic diversity in chilli genotypes based on sixteen characters was estimated using Mahalanobis’s D2 statistics. The genotypes were grouped into four different clusters by non-hierarchical clustering. The cluster I had the maximum number (7) of genotypes while cluster III and IV each contained only one genotype. Cluster II and III had highest inter cluster distance (249.759) followed by cluster III and IV (239.433). It was also observed that the contribution of fruit yield per plant to genetic divergence of genotypes in chilli was the maximum followed by leaf curl/plot and fruit weight. So, selection of parents differing in these quantitative traits may be proved useful for heterosis breeding programme in chilli.