Phenotypic Diversity Analysis of Lens culinaris Medik. Accessions for Selection of Superior Genotypes

Knowledge of genetic diversity in lentil is imperative for selection of parental genotypes that could yield heterotic combinations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity among 43 diverse lentil genotypes to identify complementary and unique genotypes for breeding programmes. Field experimentation was carried out in two winter seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021) in Hisar (29°10′ N, 75°46′ E) using randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The chi-square test analysis showed significant genotypic variation for qualitative traits. There was substantial genetic variation among the genotypes for most quantitative traits, connoting the need to exploit a high degree of genetic variation through selection. Multiple-trait selection would also be beneficial, as seed yield was positively associated with most quantitative traits. The principal component analysis recognized seed yield (SY), days to 50% flowering (DTF), days to maturity (DTM), number of pods per plant (NPP), number of primary branches (NPB), plant height (PH) and biological yield (BY) as target traits that prominently described variation within lentil genotypes. The cluster analysis discriminated the lentil genotypes into five discrete clusters. Cluster III and V were the most distant groups, implying wider diversity among the genotypes of these groups. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified genotypes IPL 316, LH 17-19, LH 18-04, LH 17-17, IPL 81 and Pant L-8 as high-yielding genotypes, while L 4717 was identified as an early-maturing genotype. Therefore, to obtain a broad spectrum of early-maturing high-yielding segregants, the selected genotypes may serve as superior parental lines for structuring breeding strategies.