A. Ayana et E. Bekele, Multivariate analysis of morphological variation in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) germplasm from Ethiopia and Eritrea, GEN RESOUR, 46(3), 1999, pp. 273-284
Multivariate methods, including principal component, cluster and discrimina
nt analyses, were used to assess the patterns of morphological variation an
d to group 415 sorghum accessions for 15 quantitative characters. The first
five principal components explained 79% of the total variation with plant
height and days to 50% flowering being the most important characters in the
first principal component. Cluster analysis grouped the accessions into te
n clusters. A greater proportion of accessions of similar adaptation zones
and accessions from regions of origin with similar agro-climatic conditions
were grouped together. Moreover, discrimination of accessions was more pro
nounced when discriminant analysis was based on zone of adaptation rather t
han regions of origin. Based on the observed patterns of variation, it is c
oncluded that the morphological variation in the material studied is struct
ured by environmental factors. The implications of the results for plant br
eeding and germplasm conservation programmes are discussed.