One hundred and 40 genotypes of fieldpea were used to assess the genetic divergence for various agronomic traits. The study revealed that all the accessions were significantly different for the traits and a wide range of variability exists for most of the traits. Correlation studies exhibited that seed yield had positive significant correlation with most of the traits. Cluster analysis classified 140 genotypes into 12 distinct groups. A large number of genotypes (30) were placed in cluster IV followed by cluster III with 24 genotypes. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters III and IV indicating the possibility of high heterotic effect if the individuals from these clusters are cross-bred. Principal component analysis yielded 12 Eigen vectors and PCA analysis revealed significant variations among traits with seven major principal components explaining about 90% of variations. The estimates of Eigen value associated with the principal components and their respective relative and accumulated variances explained 50.16% of total variation in the first two components. The characters with highest weight in component first were biological yield, pods/plant, yield/plant and branches/plant which explained 34.22% of the total variance. The results of principal component analysis were closely in line with those of the cluster analysis. The grouping of genotypes and hybridization among genetically diverse genotypes of different cluster would be helpful in broadening the genetic base of fieldpea and producing desirable recombinants for developing new fieldpea varieties.

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Time series data on area, production and productivity of major millets (2000-01 to 2019- 20) was analyzed for Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh state. Sorghum was the most important millet crop that accounted for highest area (36.6%) and (34%) of total millet area and production in UP state, respectively. Chitrakoot district contributed highest area (31.6%) under millets. Among all the millets, pearl millet recorded highest growth rate in area (0.97%), production (3.57%) and productivity (1.59%) with low instability index for area. The overall area and production of millet crops recorded decline in all the seven districts of Bundelkhand region during overall study period (2000-20). Lalitpur district recorded highest decline in area (-22.02%), followed by Chitrakoot (-10.82%) and Jhansi district (- 10.63%) during overall study period, while during the same period Banda district recorded a growth in area (1.16%) and production (4.77 %) of pearl millet. The overall area, production and productivity of millets registered a decline in Bundelkhand region during 2000-20. This calls for aggressive promotional activities for enhancing millets production in the region.

Multi-environmental trials have generally significant genotype main effects and genotype x environment interaction (GEI) effect and, therefore different univariate and multivariate stability methods have been used to study the GEI. Among the multivariate methods, the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis is widely used for GEI investigation. This method has been effective because it captures a large portion of the GEI sum of squares; it clearly separates main and interaction effects and often provides meaningful interpretation of data to support a breeding program such as genotypic stability. Based on the AMMI model, a stability index has been used to rank the genotypes. This index is the weightage of stability and yield component and higher the index value better is the genotypes. The index of 40 promising chickpea genotypes were calculated with two different weight of yield (50% and 75%) and stability component (50% and 25%). These genotypes were evaluated at seven locations viz. Hiriyur, Nandyal, Coimbtore, Dharwad, Lam, Bijapur and Gulbarga representing the south zone of All India Coordinated Research Project on Chickpea program during 2015-16. Ranking of genotypes are done based on two different weight of stability and yield component.

The paper examines the temporal changes in the area, production and productivity of major pulse crops in Bundelkhand region of UP during last two decades (2000-2020). Published data on area, production and productivity was utilized for the purpose. Study period was divided into period-I (2000-10) and period II (2010-20) and overall period III (2000-2020). Consistent decline in overall pulse area (-0.64%) and production (-0.36%) was observed, however, the overall pulse productivity registered marginal upward trend (0.06%) during the analysis period (2000-20). Chickpea (-5.03% and -0.64 %) and lentil (-0.51% and – 4.37%) crops registered highest decline in overall area and production respectively. Urdbean registered highest decline (-6.52%) in productivity during the said period. In contrast, mungbean crop followed by urdbean recorded highest growth in area (3.48%, 3.02%), and production (3.61%, 2.71%), while field pea registered highest growth in productivity (1.96%). Instability of pulse production over the study period was high (30.31%), however the instability in pulse area was low (11.7%). Analysis of inter district variation in pulse performance reflected decline in area and production of pulses in all districts except in Lalitpur. Inter district variations helped in identifying the potential districts in the Bundelkhand region of UP state.