Genetic divergence assessment in Kale (Brassica oleracea L var. acephala (DC.) Alef.) by using the multivariate analysis

Abstract

A total of 87 genotypes collected from different geographical areas of Kashmir valley evaluated at one site to determinate genetic variability. Considerable diversity was found in different traits of horticultural importance. High coefficient of variation and wide range and mean differences of studied traits indicated the existence of wide genetic variability. Three principal component having eigen value more than one and cumulatively accounted for 84.85 percent of total variability of evaluated horticultural traits. The leaf weight, leaf length, leaf width, leaf yield / plant and yield (q/ha) were major contributing traits towards the first principal component. Similarly number of number of leaves/plant was impotent contributed traits toward principal component -II, whereas plant height was main contributing traits to principal component -III. The maximum inter cluster D2 value (731.04) was observed between cluster IV and cluster -I and followed by between cluster -V and cluster- I (677.29) and between cluster II and I (430.13).It indicated that genotypes belongings with these groups were genetically most divergent and may be use for hybridization to get better segregants.