Assessment of genetic diversity among rice genotypes using Mahalanobis D² analysis

An experiment with fifty-two genotypes of rice carried out to study the nature and magnitude of divergence using Mahalanobis D² statistics, in randomized block design with three replications during kharif 2023. The data for eight important quantitative traits were recorded from the genotypes raised. The fifty-two genotypes of rice were grouped into ten clusters using Tocher’s method. The genotypes in cluster VII and IV (2450.47), followed by cluster IX and III (2230.14), cluster VII and II (2194.95) exhibited high degree of genetic diversity. The Cluster VII exhibited the highest mean grain yield per plant, highlighting its superior contribution to genetic diversity. Among eight quantitative traits studied, the highest contribution towards genetic diversity was made by grain yield per acre (46.83%) and the least contribution towards the genetic diversity was made by days to 50% flowering (0.23%).