Study on Genetic Divergence for Yield and Yield attributing Traits in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Author: Ganesh Kumar Koli*, Rajesh Kumar Arya, Somveer Nimbal, Deepak Kumar, Kiran and Sonu Langaya

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Abstract

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a medicinal plant rich with medicinal properties but due to less research work on ashwagandha there is less information available about the diversity present among the ashwagandha genotypes and without this information a breeder cannot start a breeding program. To study the diversity among the ashwagandha genotypes an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm of Medicinal, Aromatic and Potential Crops Section of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India during kharif season 2019 and evaluated for fourteen quantitative characters using D 2 statistics of Mahalanobis. The genotypes were grouped into 3 clusters. Maximum number of genotypes (11) were grouped under cluster III followed by cluster I and II with 2 genotypes in each cluster. The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded between I and II (6.73) followed by clusters I and III (6.49). Hence, the genotypes in cluster II had wider diversity with g

Keywords

Genetic diversity, ashwagandha, quantitative traits, D2 analysis, divergence.

Conclusion

Genetic diversity analysis was carried out through D2 analysis in order to assess the genetic divergence among genotype under study. Based on D2 analysis fifteen genotypes of ashwagandha were grouped in three clusters. Maximum genotypes were found in cluster III while highest mean values for days of 50% flowering, test weight, number of seeds per berry, root length, average diameter of root, harvesting index, biological yield, number of roots and dry root yield were found in cluster 1. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between I and II followed by clusters I and III. The maximum intra-cluster distance was recorded in cluster III followed by cluster II. The genotypes belongs to these clusters can be utilized in further ashwagandha breeding programme for the production of hybrid. This diversity study will provide the knowledge about variation present among the genotypes under study and this knowledge about variation is basis requirement to start a breeding program. This stu

References

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How to cite this article

Ganesh Kumar Koli, Rajesh Kumar Arya, Somveer Nimbal, Deepak Kumar, Kiran and Sonu Langaya (2022). Study on Genetic Divergence for Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(1)