Abstract

Mahalanobis's D2 statistics was used to study the genetic diversity among 40 genotypes of vegetable Indian bean (Lablab purpureus L.) grown during kharif 2011–12. Observations recorded on 13 characters revealed the wide genetic diversity. By adopting Tocher's technique, the 40 genotypes were grouped into nine clusters. The average intra-cluster distance revealed that the genetic diversity among the genotypes in cluster-I (6.36) was minimum followed by cluster-VIII (6.52). The maximum intra-cluster distance was observed in the cluster-VI (7.34). Selection within this cluster might be exercised with emphasis on high mean values for the desirable traits. The relative divergence of each cluster from other clusters (inter-cluster distance) indicated high order of divergence between clusters-VII and VIII (29.23) followed by clusters-V and VII (26.06) and clusters-IV and VIII (24.78). Selection of parents from these clusters would help to achieve novel recombinations in future breeding programmes. Per se performance had maximum contribution of 61.15% by number of pods per plant followed by green pod yield per plant (15.77%) towards the divergence.