SELECTION OF DIVERSE PARENTS USING MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS IN TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM Mill.)

Abstract

Evaluation of genetic diversity within germplasm collection
is important to plant breeders who desire source of genes for
particular traits. Tile twenty five genotypes of tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) collected from various
countries were evaluated for quantitative characteristics in an
attempt to differentiate among tile lines. The genotypes could be
grouped into seven clusters of phenotypic diversity. There was
no correspondence between the geographic collection sites of
genotypes and their inclusion in particular cluster. Analysis was
useful for identification of potentially different sources of desired
traits. It was noticed that the entries of the cluster III and VlJ
showed the maximum distance and the crosses between genotypes
in these clusters will produce heterotic hybrids. The use of these
genotypes in future breeding programme should greatly help to
cross the yield plateau in this crop