Abstract
The present investigation explores the variability of Bunium persicum populations belonging to different regions. Variability among 74 genotypes for thirty-seven traits (29 quantitative and 8 qualitative) were studied to ascertain the population structure of the Bunium persicum. Among the agro-morphological traits, wide range of variability was recorded in tuber shape, tuber colour, seed shape, seed colour, growth habit, leaf shape, leaf colour, umbel shape, umbel colour, plant height (22.90-96.52 cm), primary branches plant(-1) (1-6), umbel diameter of primary umbel (6.17 - 13.67 cm), number of primary umbels plant(-1) (1-12), umbels plant(-1) (8-40), seed yield per plant (0.55-13.10 g), essential oil content (3.2-9.3 %) etc. Significant and positive association was observed between number of seeds primary(-1) umbel (r = 0.91), plant height (r = 0.65), number of seeds primary(-1) umbel (0.52), number of seeds primary(-1) umbel (0.43), number of seeds secondary(-1) umbel (0.38) with number of umblets secondary(-1) umbel. Cluster analysis classified the genotypes with different geographical origin into two major clusters and sub-clusters. Cluster-I comprises of 50 genotypes and cluster - II of 24 genotypes while the genotype SRS-KZ-189 from Kargil population was separated as an individual sub-group. Principal component (PC1) and (PC2) harbors accounted 20.2% and 14% of total variation. Variability of Kalazeera genotypes would facilitate the plant breeders to implement and design various crop improvement programme in future.