Genetic diversity and variability analysis in oats (Avena sp) genotypes

Fifty oat genotypes belonging to eight different Avena species were evaluated to assess the genetic diversity and genetic divergence. The observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants in each genotype for quantitative traits. The Non-hierarchical Euclidean cluster analysis grouped oat genotypes into six clusters indicating presence of substantial genetic diversity in the evaluated germplasm. The highest intra-cluster distance which was observed in cluster VI followed by cluster I, cluster II, cluster V, cluster IV and cluster III. A maximum inter cluster distance showed between cluster II and cluster III followed by between cluster III and cluster IV. The minimum inter cluster distance was noticed between cluster V and cluster IV. Cluster II and III had better cluster means for many characters, so genotypes from these clusters can be used as parents for future breeding programmes. A total of eight principal components were extracted on the basis of eigen values (>1) and these components explained total of 75% variability. Varimax rotation enabled loading of all the traits on different principal factors. The first principal factor (PF) showed high loading for flag leaf length, dry fodder yield per plant and green fodder yield per plant. The second factor was composed of some of trait like high dry fodder yield, dry matter per cent, leaf length and leaf width. It is clear that both of the first three factors which would express the combined effect of flag leaf length, leaf length, leaf width, high dry matter per cent, high green fodder yield per plant were most closely associated with dry fodder yield per plant whereas, last three factors were associated with seed yield.