6418
Advances Advances6418-6422,
in Life Sciences 5(16), Print : ISSN 2278-3849, in Life Sciences
Genetic Variability and Divergence Study in Castor (Ricinus Communis L.)
D. R. CHAUDHARI, V. L. PARMAR, D. V. DUBE, R. S. BHAKTA, A. I. PATEL AND V. A. LODAM
Department of Genetics And Plant Breeding,
N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University,
Navsari, Maharashtra
ABSTRACT
The present investigation was carried out in 72 castor
(Ricinus communis L.) genotypes. The material were
grown in a randomized block design in three replications
at Pulses and Castor Research Station farm NAU, Navsari
during 2014-2015. Variability parameters were estimated
for seed yield (g/plant) and yield component characters.
The genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was
high for effective spike per plant (GCV 31.92%, PCV
33.49%) followed by number of capsules per primary
spike (GCV 25.07%, PCV 27.64%) and plant height up
to primary raceme (GCV 23.53%, PCV 25.75%). High
heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed
for effective spike per plant followed by effective primary
spike length, plant height up to primary raceme, seed yield
per plant, number of capsule per primary spike, number
of node to primary raceme. Character, effective spikes per
plant revealed high variability, heritability and genetic
advance as per cent mean. Genetic divergence study
revealed that 72 genotypes were grouped into eight clusters
where, cluster I was largest containing 49 genotypes
followed by cluster III with 14 genotypes, cluster V with 5
genotypes and remaining clusters each having single
genotypes. Based on inter cluster distance, cluster III
showed high genetic divergence with cluster - VIII, V and
II; cluster VI with VIII and II. Therefore, it was concluded
that the genotypes belonging to these clusters should be
inter-crossed in order to generate more variability and
improving seed yield per plant in castor. The characters
viz., effective spike per plant, seed yield per plant, effective
spikes length and plant height up to primary raceme
contributed maximum to the divergence.
Key words: Castor, Genetic variability, heritability,
genetic advance and genetic divergence.
Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important oil seed
crop cultivated for its premier oil with manifold uses. Genetic
variability is the most important feature of any population
and variability present in the population are the pre -
requisite in response to selection for crop improvement
programme. Selection of superior varieties will be possible
only when adequate variability exists in the gene pool.
Hence, the insight into the magnitude of variability present
in a gene pool of a crop species is of utmost importance to
plant breeder for starting a judicious plant breeding
programme. The coefficient of variation expressed in
phenotypic and genotypic levels are used to compare the
20165(16), 2016
variability observed among different characters. The
heritability estimates aid in determining the relative amount
of the heritable portion in variation and thus, helps the
plant breeder in selecting the elite inbreds from diverse
population. Genetic diversity is of major interest to plant
breeder. As more diverse the parents with an overall limit of
fitness, the greater is the chance of higher amount of
heterotic expression in F1’s and greater is the possibility of
generating broad-spectrum variability in segregating
generations. Genetic diversity between populations/
genotypes indicates the differences in gene frequencies.
Multivariate analysis using Mahalanobis D2 statistics (1936)
is valuable tools to study genetic divergence at inter varietal
and sub species level in classifying the crop plants. This
has been successfully utilized in castor to classify the
genotypes and determine their interrelationship by many
workers Sevugaperumal et al. (2001) and Lakshmamma et
al. (2002). Therefore, present study was carried out to
ascertain the nature and magnitude of genetic diversity
among 72 castor genotypes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The field experiment was conducted with 72 castor
genotypes grown in a randomized block design with three
replications during the late Kharif of 2014 - 2015 at Pulses
and Castor Research Station Farm, NAU, Navsari. Each
genotype was sown in two rows adopting 120 cm between
rows and 60 cm between plants in rows. Randomly five
plants selected from each genotype/replication for recording
the observations on day to 50 % flowering of primary spike,
days to maturity of primary spike, number of nodes to
primary raceme, plant height (cm) up to primary spike,
effective primary spike length (cm), number of capsules per
primary spike, No. of effective spikes per plant, 100 seed
weight (gm), seed yield (gm per plant), and oil content (%).
The phenotypic and genotypic co-efficient of variation,
heritability and genetic advance as per cent mean were
calculated following standard methods. The data were
subjected to analysis of variance for character estimated
on the basis of mean value (Panse and Sukhatme, 1985).
The estimates of PCV and GCV were classified as given by
Sivasubramanian and Madhavamenon (1973). The
phenotypic and genotypic co-efficient of variation were
calculated as Burton and De Vane (1953). Heritability
estimates in broad sense for yield components of castor
genotypes was estimated and the heritability estimates were
categorized as suggested by Robinson et al. (1949), while
genetic advance was worked out as per Johnson et al.
(1955). These data were subjected to divergence analysis
(Mahalanobis, 1936) and Tocher’s method as described by
 CHAUDHARI et al., Genetic Variability and Divergence Study in Castor (Ricinus Communis L.) 6419

Table 1. Analysis of variance for various quantitative characters in castor.

Mean sum of squares

Characters Replication Genotype Error S.Em

Days to 50 % flowering of pri. Spike 80.07 78.86** 28.61 3.06

No. Of node to primary raceme 1.475 23.02** 2.17 0.84
Plant height up to primary raceme (cm) 225.83 1524.52** 94.17 5.56
Effective primary spike length (cm) 47.09 307.60** 17.42 2.39
No. Of capsule per primary spike 193.0 993.08** 66.55 4.67
Effective spike per plant 3.30 38.18** 1.24 0.63
Days of maturity of primary spike 137.85 252.97** 56.48 4.30
100 seed weight (gm) 16.61 30.48** 6.25 1.43
Seed Yield per plant (gm) 105.0 3034.9** 192.2 7.93
Oil content (%) 13.09 29.55** 4.5 1.2

** Significant at 0.01

Rao (1952) for determining group constellation. Average spike and plant height up to primary raceme (Table 2), while
intra and inter cluster distances were estimated as per the moderate GCV and PCV was revealed for effective primary
procedure outlined by Singh and Chaudhary (1977). spikes length, seed yield per plant, number of nodes to
primary raceme. Traits like 100 seed weight, days to maturity
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
of primary spike, oil content and days to 50% flowering of
The analysis of variance indicated high and primary spike had lower coefficient of variations.
significant variation for all characters under study (Table
However, high variance values alone are not the
1). The range of variation was maximum for seed yield per
determining factor of the expected progress that could be
plant (113.6-260.8g/plant) followed by plant height up to
made quantitative traits (Falconer, 1981). It was suggested
primary spike (43.7cm-151.2cm), number of capsules per
that the GCV together with the high heritability estimates
primary spike (27.2-110) and effective primary spike length
would give a better picture of the extent of genetic gain to
(21.7-73.5) (Table 2). The higher mean was associated with
be characters expected under selection. In the present
high range, indicated the scope of improvement through
investigation, all characters expressed ranging from 36.9 to
simple selection procedure. A perusal of phenotypic co-
90.8 per cent heritability. A high estimate of heritability
efficient of variation was greater than genotypic co-efficient
(broad sence) was recorded by effective spike per plant
of variation for all the characters studied showing the
followed by effective primary spike length, plant height up
environmental effect for all the characters (Table 2). It is
to primary raceme, seed yield per plant, number of capsule
evident that using co-efficient of variation as a measure,
per primary spike, number of nodes to primary raceme and
the magnitude of PCV and GCV were highest for effective
oil content, which indicated that these characters are largely
spike per plant followed by number of capsules per primary

Table 2. Magnitude of variability, heritability and genetic advance for seed yield and yield attributes
of castor

Characters Mean Range PCV(%) Heritability(%) GA % of

GCV(%)
mean
Days to 50 % flowering of pri. Spike 69.2 54.3 – 76.8 5.91 9.73 36.9 7.40
No. Of node to primary raceme 16.4 12.2 – 28.1 15.99 18.32 76.2 28.75
Plant height up to pri. raceme (cm) 92.7 43.8 – 151.4 23.53 25.75 83.5 44.31
Effective primary spike length (cm) 52.8 21.7 – 73.5 18.61 20.22 84.7 35.29
No. Of capsule per primary spike 70.0 27.2 – 110.04 25.07 27.64 82.3 46.85
Effective spike per plant 10.9 3.5 – 22.4 31.92 33.49 90.8 62.67
Days of maturity of primary spike 111.3 82.8 – 122.5 7.27 9.92 53.7 10.97
100 seed weight (gm) 30.4 22.5 – 36.3 9.32 12.42 56.3 14.42
Seed Yield per plant (gm) 170.8 113.2 – 260.8 18.02 19.76 83.1 33.84
Oil content (%) 44.0 39.2 – 53.4 6.55 8.13 64.9 10.88
6420 Advances in Life Sciences 5(16), 2016

Table 3. Average inter and intra-cluster distance (D = “D2) values in castor.

Cluster I II III IV V VI VII VIII

I 4.39 5.41 6.47 5.56 6.42 7.79 7.19 9.27
II 0.00 9.07 4.23 5.14 9.23 9.66 5.47
III 5.14 7.64 10.11 6.94 6.95 12.57
IV 0.00 7.27 7.50 8.18 6.74
V 5.09 10.30 9.11 8.43
VI 0.00 6.85 12.12
VII 0.00 12.38
VIII 0.00

governed by additive genes and selection for improvement
of such characters could be rewarding. Similar results were
obtained for seed yield per plant by Dorairaj et al. (1973),
Patel et al. (1985), Dupke et al. (1992), Mehta and Vashi
(1997) and Golakia et al. (2007); while, Moderate estimates
of heritability were recorded by 100 seed weight followed
by days to maturity of primary spike and days to 50%
flowering of primary spike. High genetic advance as per
cent mean was higher for effective spike per plant followed
by number of capsules per primary spike, plant height up to
primary spike, effective primary spike length, seed yield per
plant and number of node to primary raceme, while moderate
for 100 seed weight followed by days to maturity of primary
spike and oil content. days to 50% flowering of primary
spike had low genetic advance as per cent mean.
In present study the high heritability coupled with
high genetic advance was observed for effective spike per
plant followed by effective primary spike length, plant height
up to primary raceme, seed yield per plant, number of
capsule per primary spike, number of nodes up to primary
raceme, similar results were also obtained for effective
primary spike length by Dorairaj et al. (1973); for number of
nodes to primary raceme by Dorairaj et al. (1973), Rao et al.
(2009), Patel et al. (2010), Udaya et al. (2013), Sarwar et al.
(2010) and Golakia et al. (2007). It forces to conclude that
these characters are governed by additive gene action. The
character oil content showed high heritability coupled with
moderate genetic advance. High heritability accompanied
with moderate genetic advance as per cent mean indicated
that the genotypes, under study were diverse with immense
genetic potential and further improvement in these traits
are possible by practicing simple selection technique.
Characters days to maturity of primary spike and 100 seed
weight showed moderate heritability with moderate genetic
advance. Similar results observed for days to maturity of
primary spike by Patel et al. (2004); for 100 seed weight by
Patel et al. (2004), it indicates that the character is moderately
influenced by environmental effects and selection would
be effective, while days to 50% flowering of primary spike
showed moderate heritability with low genetic advance,
indicated that the character is highly influenced by
environmental effects and selection would be ineffective.
Selection of genotypes on the basis of these characters
makes less effective in further breeding programme. It was
observed that seed yield per plant had high heritability
coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean
indicating the improvement of seed yield can be achieved
by adopting simple selection procedure with which additive
genes can be pyramided and will be gaining in the selection
process. The characters with high genotypic variance and

Table 4. Per cent contribution of different character to total diversions.

Sr. Character Number of times character Per cent contribution

No. ranked first
1 Days to 50 % flowering of pri. Spike 8 0.31 %
2 No. Of node to primary raceme 111 4.34 %
3 Plant height up to primary raceme 333 13.03 %
4 Effective primary spike length 383 14.98 %
5 No. Of capsule per primary spike 155 6.06 %
6 Effective spike per plant 831 32.51 %
7 Days of maturity of primary spike 85 3.33 %
8 100 seed weight 95 3.72 %
9 Seed Yield per plant 422 16.51 %
10 Oil content 133 5.20 %
Total 2556 100 %
 CHAUDHARI et al., Genetic Variability and Divergence Study in Castor (Ricinus Communis L.) 6421

Table 5. Cluster means for the ten characters studied in castor.

Cluster Days of No. Of Plant Effective No. of Effective Days of 100 Seed Oil
50% node height primary capsule spike per maturity seed yield per content
flowering (cm) (cm) per plant of weight plant (%)
primary primary (gm) (gm)
spike spike
I 69.07 15.87 88.12 52.24 68.73 11.60 110.98 30.6 172.60 43.80
II 69.31 13.13 71.05 37.40 40.34 10.70 114.20 28.5 132.50 41.20
III 72.27 18.59 111.11 62.75 88.36 7.37 116.18 31.7 184.95 44.44
IV 60.81 15.60 81.85 51.40 46.26 6.60 98.56 25.4 117.70 41.67
V 67.77 14.85 81.99 41.28 50.04 17.48 110.14 27.9 148.74 44.28
VI 75.31 28.13 135.45 49.50 46.84 7.50 120.80 32.8 152.60 42.67
VII 57.20 21.60 151.45 51.80 99.48 12.80 91.36 25.5 165.30 49.78
VIII 54.31 12.40 43.87 21.70 27.24 6.60 85.46 28.2 113.27 50.66

high heritability coupled with high genetic gain would be
effective for selection in improvement of the crop. Hence,
the selection may be made in the desirable direction based
on phenotypic performance. The expression of traits is
unstable. Hence, breeder should not rely on the estimates
of heritability.
Tocher’s method (Rao, 1952) was employed for the
formation of clusters. Seventy two genotypes were grouped
in eight cluster are presented in Table 3. It could be observed
from the clustering pattern that genotypes of different
geographical areas were clubbed in one group and also the
genotypes of the same geographical area were grouped in
different cluster indicating there is no formal relationship
between geographical diversity and genetic diversity. Many
workers have arrived at similar conclusion in this crop.
Similar observations are reported by Deepika Bhatt et al.
(2000). Considerable higher intra and inter-cluster D values
revealed very interesting trend of genetic diversity. Intra-
cluster D values of various clusters were found to be
comparatively small indicating there by the presence of
substantial genetic diversity even within the cluster. The
maximum inter-cluster distance was found between cluster
VIII and III followed by followed by those between cluster
VIII and VII (Table 3).
In heterosis breeding, genotypes of diverse cluster
are known to play an important role of potential parents
and when each genotypes of different cluster are inter
crossed they are likely to produce heterotic combinations.
In present study, effective spike per plant (32.51%)
contributed (Table 4) maximum to the divergence followed
by seed yield per plant (16.51%), effective primary spike
length (14.98%) and plant height up to primary raceme
(13.03%), while number of capsule per primary spike (6.06%),
oil content (5.20%), number of node to primary raceme
(4.43%), 100 seed weight (3.72%) and days to maturity of
primary spikes (3.33%) contributed less towards genetic
divergence in the present material. Days to 50% flowering
of primary spike (0.31%) had very low contribution to the
divergence.
The comparison of cluster means for the different
characters (Table 5) indicated considerable difference
between clusters for all the characters. Cluster III had the
highest mean values for the characters like seed yield per
plant (184.95) and effective primary spike length (62.72).
Cluster VIII had highest mean value with oil content (50.66)
and lowest mean value with the days to 50% flowering of
primary spike (54.31), number of nodes to primary raceme
(12.40), plant height up to primary raceme (43.87), effective
primary spike length (21.70), number of capsule per primary
spike (27.24), days of maturity of primary spike (85.46) and
seed yield per plant (113.27). Cluster VI had height value
for days of 50% flowering of primary spike (75.31) and
number of node to primary raceme (28.13), days of maturity
to primary spike (120.80) and 100 seed weight (32.82). Cluster
II had lowest value with oil content (41.20). Cluster IV had
lowest value for effective spike per plant (6.60) and 100
seed weight (25.48). Cluster V had highest value for effective
spike per plant (17.48). Cluster VII had highest value for
plant height and number of capsules per primary spike.
It could be concluded that the genotype with high
yield coupled with other desirable physiological traits like
effective primary spike length, plant height up to primary
raceme, number of capsule per primary spike, effective spike
per plant, days of 50% flowering of primary spike, days of
maturity to primary spike and 100 seed weight could be
selected as parents for hybridization programme from cluster
III, cluster VI and cluster VII. Intercrossing genotypes from
these cluster might results in wide array of variability for
exercising effective selection.
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Received on 22-08-2016 Accepted on 27-08-2016