Genetic Variability and Diversity Analysis in Pod and Seed Characters of Some Neglected and Underutilized Legumes (NULs)

Abstract

In response to the paucity of information challenge on the neglected and underutilized legumes, this paper explored pods and seeds morphological data of the twenty-four accessions of these crops with a view to establishing the occurrence of genetic variability and diversity analysis among the studied taxa. Twenty-four accessions of neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) obtained from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria were assessed for genetic variability and diversity analysis through Pod and seed morphological characters. Each accession was planted into plot of 5 ridges of 5 meter long, spaced 1 meter apart and replicated three times at the teaching and research farm of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics was employed to evaluate differences in the mean values of the accessions while discriminatory traits among accessions were identified by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Similarities among the studied plants were assessed by cluster analysis. The first two principal component axes explained 72% of the total variation. Pod length, pod width and 100-seed weight were traits that contributed most of the variations in the legume accessions. There was a display of intra-species similarities and inter-specific genetic diversity among the studied accessions.