Genetic Diversity of Bread Wheat Lines Based on Agro-morphological Traits

Twenty spring bread wheat genotypes (G) from eleven research centers in Pakistan were included in national uniform wheat yield trial (NUWYT) conducted at the Agriculture Research Farm of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, in 2010-2011. The experiment was conducted using randomized complete block design with four replications. Statistical analysis showed significant differences among 43 traits of the 20 genotypes. The descriptive statistics of different traits of the 20 genotypes averaged over replications showed high variability among the genotypes for the traits. The highest coefficient of variation was observed for lodging followed by grain-weight: chaff-weight ratio, non-productive tillers, chaff weight, spike filling rate, vegetative: reproductive periods ratio, kernel filling rate and crop growth rate during seed fill duration. Euclidean distances as measure of genetic diversity were calculated using 51 agronomic and physiological traits for 190 possible pairs of the 20 genotypes. Euclidean distances ranged from 4.37 for G2-G6 pair to 16.80 for G12-G16 pair. (C) 2016 Friends Science Publishers