Genetic diversity based on the characterization of genetic makeup, using molecular markers is of utmost importance for breeders in crop improvement programme. A total of 26 microsatellite primers were used to determine the genetic diversity among 40 sugarcane genotypes including their parents. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were examined for both size and polymorphism using these primers. Overall alleles are amplified with an average of 2.3 per locus in this study. Of the total 26 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, only 10 (38.4%) displayed polymorphism, with polymorphism index contents (PIC) values ranging from 0.15 to 0.67. The observed homozygosity (Ho) and gene diversity (Nei's) for individual loci varied from 0.0000 to 0.277 and 0.129 to 0.473, respectively. Shannon's informative index (I) was found to be highest (0.661) in SKM04 while the lowest was 0.252 in SKM01 SSR loci with an average of 0.524. Fixation index was also calculated which was in the range of-0.074 to 1.00. A genetic relationship among cultivars and parental genotype was also analyzed by cluster analysis using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), the averagelinkage method, with the similarity matrix as input data. The genetic relationship and genetic diversity among the cultivars depicted from this study can be used to select the parents in sugarcane breeding programme.

An experiment consisting of six parents and 15 hybrids (developed by using 6 x 6 half diallel mating design) in kabuli chickpea was laid out in RBD design with three replications to estimate combining ability and heterosis. The ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) for different characters revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for all traits under study.The estimates of SCA variance were found to be higher than the GCA variance for all the characters under consideration, indicating good prospects for exploitation of non-additive gene action for grain yield and its components under study. Estimates of the ratio of gca variances to the sca variances for all the characters is less than one indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects (dominance and epistasis) in controlling the expression of all the characters under study. Line KAK2 was identified as good general combiner for plant height, canopy width, number of secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length, grain yield per plant, biological yield per plant, 100 seed weight and harvest index. High estimates of heterosis over better parent, mid parent and standard check was exhibited by three crosses viz., PKC1 × HK4, KAK2 × HK4 and JGK1 × HK4.

Background: The development of Fusarium wilt resistant varieties is a major challenge in pigeonpea breeding and need to be addressed on priority basis. In this study, efforts had been made to characterize the elite pigeonpea genotypes for Fusarium wilt resistance at morphological and molecular level. Methods: The present study was undertaken during kharif season of year 2018-19 at NEB, Crop Research Centre, G.B.P.U.A and T, Pantnagar. The experimental materials for present study consisted of 15 elite pigeonpea genotypes and three commercially grown popular varieties as checks. The molecular analysis was conducted during year 2019-20 and a susceptible variety BAHAR was used as check. The nine yield based indices were used for morphological analysis. The molecular analysis was carried out by using five already reported Fusarium wilt linked SSR markers. Result: The results revealed that the marker ASSR 363, ASSR 366, ASSR 1, ASSR 23 and ASSR 148 were highly effective in differentiating the resistant and susceptible genotypes of pigeonpea for wilt disease. On the basis of morphological and molecular studies, it was concluded that the genotype PA 626 was the most superior genotype as it not only yielded higher than all the three checks but also shown resistance against wilt at both phenotypic and genotypic level.

Background: Botrytis grey mould (BGM) is a fungal disease of chickpea and can infect plants at any stage of development. In order to develop the resistant varieties, it is a necessary to understand the pattern of inheritance of its resistance and hence experiments were conducted during rabi 2014-17 at field area of GBPUAT, Pantnagar. Methods: The six different generations of three crosses i.e., DKG 876 x GNG1581, DKG 876 x H 208 and DKG 876 x DCP 92-3 were used as experimental material. All six generations were sown in compact family block design and data obtained from field disease screening were subjected to chi-square analysis. Result: The results revealed that resistance to BGM was dominant over susceptibility. The inheritance of resistance against BGM showed monogenic dominant resistance in ratio of 3 (resistant):1 (susceptible). The results of present study showed the presence of a major gene in governing resistance to BGM in chickpea.

Background: The Botrytis grey mould (BGM) is a devastating foliar disease of chickpea. In order to develop resistant high yielding varieties, the genetic mechanism governing the inheritance of resistance against BGM must be decoded. The molecular markers associated with BGM resistance are also need to be validated for marker assisted pyramiding of BGM resistance in chickpea. Methods: The present study was conducted during rabi seasons of 2014-18 at GBPUAT, Pantnagar. The experimental material consisted of six generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2) of a cross between a BGM resistant variety GL 10006 and susceptible variety H 208. The disease data was scored on nine-point (1-9) scale and were subjected to chi-square analysis. The inheritance was also studied by using 28 STMS markers at the Pulse Breeding Laboratory of GBPUAT, Pantnagar during 2017-18. The Single Marker Analysis was performed for validation of markers associated with BGM. Result: The results indicated that resistance for BGM in chickpea is dominant over susceptibility. A major QTL i.e. TA118 along with some minor QTLs are involved in governing resistance to BGM. The marker TA118, TS72 and TA144 can be used effectively in marker assisted selection for getting desirable recombinants in chickpea breeding.