GENETIC DIVERSITY AND CORRELATION ANALYSIS OF FIBER YIELD CONTRIBUTING CHARACTERS OF JUTE (Corchorus olitorious L.)

Abstract

In the present study 21 genotypes of tossa jute (C. olitorious L.) were investigated to study the genetic variability, genetic diversity and degree of association of different component characters related to fiber yield. The seeds of experimental plant materials were grown in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during Kharif seasons of 2016. In the analysis of genetic variability, high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was observed in branches per plant (47.89) followed by root weight (33.70), dry stick weight (30.28), dry fiber weight (30.02), fresh weight without leaves (26.20), fresh weight with leaves (24.85) and leaf area (22.38). High heritability with high genetic advance was exhibited in most of the characters except base diameter and root length. However, high heritability with moderate genetic advance was observed in plant height indicated the trait could be controlled by additive gene action. In the correlation study, almost all the characters showed significant association with dry fiber weight except number of node per plant. However, number of branch per plant exhibited negative correlation with fiber yield indicating branched jute genotype have negative effect on fiber yield. In measuring the direct and indirect effect of 15 characters through path analysis the results showed that plant height, middle diameter, top diameter, root diameter, root weight, fresh weight without leaves, dry stick weight and root length had direct positive effect towards dry fiber weight. Rest of the studied traits showed negative direct effect on fiber yield. Multivariate (D2) technique was used to classify the 21 genotypes based on genetic diversity among them. All the genotypes were grouped into 4 different clusters. The clustering pattern revealed considerable amount of genetic diversity observed among the genotypes studied here. The inter-cluster distance was maximum (44.56) between I and IV and the inter-cluster distance was minimum (8.89) between III and IV. While, the highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster I (0.74) and lowest in cluster IV (0.57). The highest inter-genotypic distance (2.625) was found between G17, G16 and the lowest distance (0.184) between G12 and G13. Cluster mean values of fresh weight with leaves, fresh weight without leaves, dry stick weight, dry fiber weight and root weight showed maximum divergence indicate the potent characters that influence the genetic diversity. Regarding the higher cluster distance, inter-genotypic distance and good agronomic performance, the genotypes G17, G18 from cluster IV; G1, G2, G5, G10, G16 from cluster I and G4 from cluster III would be selected as for future hybridization program.