Author(s)

M. A. Adebisi, F. S. Okelola, M. O. Ajala, T. O. Kehinde, I. O. Daniel, O. O. Ajani

Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Seeds of 24 West African rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes were evaluated for seed vigour traits in the laboratory and field in two cropping seasons at the Research Farm of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Seed yields of these genotypes were also determined in the field during the two seasons. Data collected on seed vigour traits were subjected to multivariate analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The first three axes of the principal component analysis across the two seasons captured 86.34% of the total variation among the entries and identified seedling vigour index-I, seedling vigour index-II, speed of germination index, percentage germination, seedling establishment, emergence percentage and seed yield per plant as the characters contributing most to the variation. Cluster analysis classified these genotypes into four distinct groups based on germination and emergence percentages. Fifteen of the genotypes with mean values of between 60.43% and 65.18%, clustered in group 1, two genotypes each with mean values of 65.71% and 58.81% and 20.11% and 29.49% clustered in groups II and IV respectively while the remaining five genotypes with mean values of between 55.19% and 55.88% clustered in group III. Hybridization of genotypes across dusters could lead to increase in heterosis in cross progenies. Those characters identified by PCA could be included in the crop improvement programme for improved seed quality within West African low land rice germplasm.

Cluster; Euclidean Distance; Multivariate Technique; Principal Component

Adebisi, M. , Okelola, F. , Ajala, M. , Kehinde, T. , Daniel, I. and Ajani, O. (2013) Evaluation of Variations in Seed Vigour Characters of West African Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotypes Using Multivariate Technique. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 4, 356-363. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2013.42047.