Diversity in phenotypic and nutritional traits in vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor), a nutritionally underutilised crop.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of genetic diversity in a crop-breeding programme helps in the identification of diverse parental combinations to create segregating progenies with maximum genetic variability and facilitates introgression of desirable genes from diverse germplasm into the available genetic base.


RESULTS
In the present study, 39 strains of vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) were evaluated for eight morphological and seven quality traits for two test seasons to study the extent of genetic divergence among the strains. Multivariate analysis showed that the first four principal components contributed 67.55% of the variability. Cluster analysis grouped the strains into six clusters that displayed a wide range of diversity for most of the traits.


CONCLUSIONS
Cluster analysis has proved to be an effective method in grouping strains that may facilitate effective management and utilisation in crop-breeding programmes. The diverse strains falling in different clusters were identified, which can be utilised in different hybridisation programmes to develop high-foliage-yielding varieties rich in nutritional components.
Shukla
Sudhir
S
Genetics and Plants Breeding Department, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. s_shukla31@rediffmail.com
Bhargava
Atul
A
Chatterjee
Avijeet
A
Pandey
Avinash Chandra
AC
Mishra
Brij K
BK
D027721:Amaranthus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018533:Biomass; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D014675:Vegetables / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*