Assessment of genetic diversity and association among agro-morphological characters in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

In the present investigation the level of diversity in 44 potato germplasm was assessed using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis and interrelationships among ten different quantitative characters was also worked out. A variation of 94.52 per cent was recorded due to first seven principal components on various genotypes. The first PC had high positive weight for plant height, average tuber weight and tuber yield per plant and second was more related to number of shoot per plant, number of tuber per plant and tuber yield per plot. The forty-four potato germplasm were grouped into eleven well distinct clusters. Genotypes belonging to cluster IV, II, IX and VIII were found diverse and best in all respect. Positive and significant correlation of tuber yield observed for plant height followed by number of shoots per plant, average weight of tuber, tuber yield per plant and marketable yield per plot. Path analysis revealed that marketable yield per plot, tuber yield per plant, number of tuber per plant and plant height had highest positive direct effect on tuber yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]