For a breeding plan to be successful eventually and to make the most use of available germplasm resources, it is necessary to have an awareness of genetic diversity among cultivars of any crop. Hence studies on genetic diversity were conducted with 52 chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes at the G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India during spring summer season 2023. Mahalanobis D2 analysis was used to categorise genotypes based on the sum of squares of differences in mean values across contexts for all seventeen characteristics. Based on genetic distance, these genotypes were grouped into seven clusters. Cluster II had the maximum genotypes (16) followed by cluster I with 10 genotypes, cluster III and IV with 5 genotypes, cluster VI with 4 genotypes and cluster V and VII each had one genotype, Maximum intracluster distance was within cluster VI (34048.65), followed by clusters IV (21666.81), I (20433.92), III (18472.89), and II (16093.58) while minimum intracluster distance (0) was observed in cluster V and VII. With the inter cluster distance of 847929.00, cluster IV and cluster VII possessed highest intercluster distance. To achieve high quality segregates, a hybridisation method involving the genotypes from diverse clusters might be selected

Chilli, Genotypes, Genetic diversity, Clusters, Hybridisation.

Understanding genetic divergence is crucial for selecting varied parents and producing successful hybrids. Developing high-yielding, region-specific cultivars is crucial for addressing local issues and promoting wider adoption. In the present investigation, there was a maximum distance between cluster IV and cluster VII. The hybridisation between these clusters can be used to identify superior recombinants or transgressive segregates in segregating populations, as these clusters are the most diverse

Richa Thapliyal, Dhirendra Singh, Lalit Bhatt, Alka Verma, Ankit Kumar Sinha and Gourav Kumar Mohanty (2024). Genetic Diversity Studies in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Genotypes under Tarai condition of Uttarakhand. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 16(6): 05-09.