Screening and clustering of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm to pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner)

The relative performance of hundred chickpea genotypes against Helicoverpa armigera, their yield losses and genetic divergence among the chickpea genotypes for yield and yield attributing characters were studied. The results revealed that pod damage and yield losses varied from 6.50 to 35.50% and 410 to 1175 kg/ha respectively. On the basis of per cent pod damage, genotypes BGD-115 was defined as less preferred by pod borer among the tested genotypes. However, the genotype ICC-1032 also recorded less damage (7.25 per cent) with significant higher yield (1175 kg/ha). Minimum yield loss was found in BG-93009 in spite of the high pod damage. The genotypes were grouped in 20 clusters. Cluster XIX comprised highest (36) genotypes followed by the clusters I, XIII and IX with 10, 7 and 6 genotype, respectively. While the clusters from II to VIII, XI, XII, XV and XVI contained two genotypes each. The maximum and minimum divergence was revealed between clusters V and XX and between IV and VI, respectively. In general, the cluster IX exhibited higher mean values for most of the characters. It has been suggested that for varietal improvement, the hybridization among the genotypes of divergent clusters should be done rather than depending on those genotypes of the cluster having minimum divergence.