Twenty one genotypes were grouped into eight clusters based on D2 values for 11 characters. From the inter cluster D2 values of the eight clusters, it was found that the highest divergence occurred between cluster II and VI followed by cluster I and V, cluster IV and VIII, cluster V and VI, cluster V and VIII and cluster IV and V suggesting that the crosses involving varieties from these clusters would give wider and desirable recombination. The variety PTB-9 from cluster VIII, Swarnaprabha from cluster VI and Uma from cluster I having high mean values for grain yield per plant may be directly used for adaptation or may be used as parents in future hybridization programme. Among the 11 quantitative characters studied the most important character contributing to the divergence was filled grains/panicle followed by grain yield/plant, number of grain /panicle, number of spikelets/panicle, number of grains/panicle, plant height and pollen fertility. | Genetic diversity analysis in popular high yielding rice varieties of Kerala, India
