Genetic Divergence for Seedling Traits in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Three hundred and eighty genotypes of tomato were investigated for genetic diversity for nine seedling traits and considerable genetic variation was observed for all the traits except pubescence. Only two genotypes (19901 and 6836-9) were glabrous, whereas all others had hair on the hypocotyl. Eight clusters were observed based on k-means clustering with average distance ranging from 0.47 (cluster 6) to 0.79 (cluster 8). Some of the discrete traits did not exhibit variation within individual cluster that could be one of the bases for clustering pattern. The scatter diagram partially indicated the clustering pattern and the clusters 3, 4 and 5 intermixed. Sub clustering of individual clusters revealed 5 sub clusters of cluster 1, three of cluster 2 and 5 in each case, six in cluster 3, 4 and 7 and cluster 6 and 8 had 4 each The cluster 2, 3, 4 and 6 joined at higher genetic linkage with induction of single genotype in the cluster 2, 4 and 6, whereas in cluster 3, two main groups joined at higher distance including one group comprising of the 41 genotypes and the second comprising 19 genotypes, which joined at 80% linkage distance. The data on seedling traits along with other data will be utilized for establishment of core set and the genotypes with maximum genetic distance from individual clusters along with representative samples from low distance groups are likely to be chosen for core set. (C) 2013 Friends Science Publishers