GENETIC DIVERGENCE AMONG MICROMUTANTS IN FINGER MILLET (Eleusina coracana)

The  nature  and  magnitude  of  genetic  divergence  was  estimated  in  44 mutant lines of fingermillet variety VR708, developed by single and combination treatments with gamma rays, EMS and NG using three multivariate analysis. The mutant lines were grouped into ten genetically diverse clusters by D2 and canonical analysis and eight clusters by similarity coefficient (dendrogram) grouping. The clustering pattern in these three methods was almost similar. A large proportion of mutant lines showed divergence from the parent variety and also among themselves. No definite relationship of mutagenic origin and clustering of mutant lines were observed. The mutant lines developed from the same mutagenic treatments often grouped into different clusters indicating that each mutagenic treatment was effective in inducing diverse types of changes in the nine traits studied. Traits like days to 50% flowering, maturity duration and plant height were the major contributors to genetic divergence. The hybridization of two divergent mutant lines VE 3-3 and VE 2-4 would be expected to produce promising transgressive segregants for yield in subsequent generations.