| Summary: | Fifty peanut stem necrosis tolerant groundnut varieties were evaluated for their genetic diversity with respect to kernel yield, yield attributing characters and qualitative traits at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Kadiri. The genotypes were classified into eight clusters, based on Mahalanobis D2 statistic. Results on inter-cluster distances revealed maximum diversity between genotypes of cluster IV and VIII. Intra-cluster distance was highest for cluster VIII, indicating the existence of high variability within this cluster. A perusal of the results on cluster means revealed high for pod yield per plant, kernel yield per plant, haulm yield and 100 kernel weight for cluster II, while days to 50 per cent flowering, number of filled pods per plant, sound mature kernel per cent and protein content were more for cluster IV. Similarly, high SPAD Chlorophyll Meter Reading (SCMR) for cluster V indicated the desirability of genotypes from these clusters for improvement of kernel yield and disease resistance. Further, SCMR at 60 days after sowing, protein content, harvest index per cent and 100 kernel weight accounted for 80.98 per cent of the total genetic divergence indicating their importance in the choice of parents for hybridization programme
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