The 60 elite chickpea genotypes were morphologically characterized and classified as per the guidelines for the conduct of DUS test of chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.)by the PPV&FRA, 2007, GOI. Among 13 DUS traits observed; seven traits were found tri-morphic, four traits di-morphic and two traitspolymorphic among 60 chickpea genotypes indicated the existence of remarkable amount of genetic variability that have great potential to assign distinctive morphological profiles which could be used for varietal identification and characterization. The Non-hierarchical Euclidean cluster analysis using 11 quantitative traits revealed the maximum inter-cluster distances between cluster III & VII () and cluster III & IV (). The genotypes viz., JG-35, JG-315, RSG-931, Vishal, CSJ-741, Vikas, GNG-1958,PG-5, PDG-4, ICCV-6, ICCV-10, JG11 andICCV-2 were found most diverse among 60 chickpea genotypes which could be used as parents in hybridization programme for more heterotic response and generation of better segregants in chickpea breeding. | Genetic diversity analysis, characterization and evaluation of elite chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes
