ASSESSMENT OF MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AMONG INDIGENOUS CUCUMBER GERMPLASM OF PAKISTAN

Cucumber, (Cucumis sativus L.) is an essential vegetable crop globally. A field study was conducted to assess morphological diversity of cucumber germplasm at Vegetable Research Area, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Pakistan during the year of 2018 and 2019. Present study was designed with 25 genotypes of cucumber taken from National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan for determining their performance based on quantitative and qualitative characters. Cluster analysis and principle component analysis (PCA) were carried out for classifying cucumber genotypes on the basis of resemblances in the phenotypical attributes of fruits, vine, leaves, and flowers by employing XL STAT (2018). Phenotypic diversity was highest in color of leaves, size of leaves, skin color of fruits and shape of fruits. Genotypes C-32149, C-574, Wandri 700, C-571 were closely associated to one another for several morphological attributes. Results of PCA analysis for the quantitative phenotypical attributes showed that major first two principle components (PCs) described 23.64% and 17.89% (Combined 41.53%) diversity. Cluster analysis of all cucumber genotypes of Pakistan classified them into main two clusters with 24.44% diversity within classes and 75.56% variability between the classes. Genotypes C-32149, C-574, Wandri 700 and C-571 showed greatest diversity various phenotypic traits including color of leaf, skin color of fruit and size of leaf.