Genetic Variability, Principle Components and Cluster Analysis of Twenty-eight Egyptian Wheat Genotypes

Abstract

Wheat is Egypt's main cereal crop and the foundation of its food security. During two consecutive seasons (2018/2019 and 2019/2020), twenty-eight wheat landraces were cultivated on the farm of Bahteem Research Station, Giza, Egypt, to evaluate their genetic variability and to determine genetic relationships among these evaluated genotypes using cluster analysis and principal components analysis. Across the two seasons, the genotypes investigated differed significantly (P≤0.0.01) for all agronomic characteristics and high assessments of the broad sense heritability were noted for all traits. The data were classified into three major components using principal components analysis. The eigenvalues of the first two were greater than one. These three major components described 76.21% of the total variability in wheat genotypes, while the other five components described only 23.79% of the variation. The cluster analysis divided all genotypes into six groups. The first cluster had three genotypes, accounting for 10.71% of all genotypes. Six genotypes, accounting for 21.43% of all genotypes, were categorized as belonging to the second cluster. The third cluster was also assigned six genotypes, accounting for 21.43 percent of all genotypes. Only one genotype (G5), accounting for 3.57 percent of all genotypes, was identified as belonging to the fourth cluster. Seven genotypes were found in the fifth cluster whereas five genotypes were found in the sixth cluster. Clusters II and IV had the greatest distance between them, followed by Clusters III and IV. Crossing between these clusters may lead to more efficient and superior recombinant wheat improvement programs.

Deciphering Genetic Diversity in Advanced Wheat Lines (Triticum aestivum L.) for Yield and Other Yield Contributing Traits Across the Locations

“…As a result, the cumulative variance explained 37.99% of the variance by the addition of principal component three, thereby reaching half of the cumulative variance present in the genotypes. Similar results for PCA were also observed by Abdelghany et al [31], Adilova et al [32], Shivramakrishnan et al [33] and Poudel et al (2017).…”

Unveiling the Complexity of Yield Traits through Genetic Variability, Correlation, and Path Analysis across Diverse Bread Wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) em. Thell] Germplasm

“…Precise knowledge about germplasm variability, heritability and genetic advance is a pre-requisite for crop improvement programs, as it helps in the development of superior recombinants for all traits of interest including yield [10]. The degree of genetic control related to some heritable significant features is referred to as heritability [11]. In plant breeding programme, direct selection for yield as such could be misleading [12].…”

“…Therefore, study of genetic variability of grain yield and its component characters among different varieties provides a strong basis for selection of suitable genotypes for enhancing of yield and other agronomic characteristics [13]. It is vital to investigate the relationships between genotype variation and yield components to make the best use of wheat genetic resources in breeding program initiatives [11]. Correlation studies along with path analysis provide a better understanding of the association of different characters with grain yield [14].…”