World Journal of Agricultural Sciences 5 (1): 117-120, 2009 ISSN 1817-3047 © IDOSI Publications, 2009 Corresponding Author: Dr. Sudhir Shukla, Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow - 226001 (U.P.), India 117 Metroglyph Analysis of Morphological Variation in Chenopodium spp. Atul Bhargava, Sudhir Shukla, Rakesh Kumar and Deepak Ohri 1 1 2 1 Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 1 National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow - 226001 (U.P.), India Department of Botany, Feroz Gandhi College, Raebareli (U.P.), India 2 Abstract: Metroglyph analysis was carried out among 44 indigenous and exotic germplasm lines of Chenopodium spp. for 10 quantitative characters. The germplasm lines could be categorized into 10 groups, which differed amongst themselves. Group 1 was the largest comprising 22 lines having tall plants with thick stem, large leaf area, long inflorescence and greater maturity period. All indigenous hexaploid C. album types except C 13 were vigorous and showed high grain yield, while the indigenous diploid C. album types had medium to high grain yield. An interesting feature of the metroglyph was the distribution of C. album and C. quinoa in different clusters. A breeding plan to evolve high yielding varieties is discussed. Key words: Chenopodium Medicinal uses Morphological variation Metroglyph Index score INTRODUCTION variation existing in the germplasm is an important and Chenopodiaceae is one of the largest dicotyledonous programme. Metroglyph analysis and index scoring family which contains mainly halophytic herbs, rarely have been used as useful tools for studying the shrubs or trees [1]. Chenopodium is the principal morphological variations in a number of crops [19,20]. genus of this family and comprises about 120 species. Till date no study on metroglyph analysis in C. quinoa, C. pallidicaule, C. album and C. berlandieri Chenopodium has been performed, so, the present are cultivated as grain crop in various parts of the study was conducted to study the variations in different world [2-5]. Chenopod leaves are rich in carotenoids morphological characters of Chenopodium spp. (78-190 mg/kg), their seeds protein (106-142 g/kg) and fat contents (30-62 g/kg) [6]. Moreover, the seed MATERIALS AND METHODS proteins have a balanced amino acid spectrum with high lysine (5.1-6.4%) and methionine (0.4-1.0 %) contents In the present investigation, 44 distinct germplasm [7]. Chenopodium has a high level of resistance to lines of Chenopodium spp. (Table 1) were sown in a adverse conditions like drought, frost and soil salinity randomized block design in 3 replications during [8-11]. The crop provides great scope for supplementing 2000-2001 at the experimental plot in National the protein deficient food for poor people in developing Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. The experimental countries. site is situated at an altitude of 120 m above sea Many species of Chenopodium have been reported level at 26.5°N latitude and 80.5°E longitude. Each to possess numerous medicinal properties in ancient texts genotype was sown in 2 rows of 3 m long. The row- like Ayurveda, Atharva Veda, Charak Samhita, Sushruta to-row distance was maintained at 45 cm and plant-to- Samhita etc. [12]. Modern pharmaceutical studies have plant distance at 15 cm. The data was recorded on 5 plants also confirmed that the plant has potent antipruritic and from each replication for 10 traits namely days to antinociceptive [13], anthelmintic [14], antiparasitic [15], flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), leaf area antispasmodic [16], antibacterial and antifungal [17,18] (cm ), stem diameter (cm), number of primary properties. Seeing the immense medicinal potential of branches/plant, inflorescence length (cm), 100 seed Chenopodium spp., there is an urgent need for genetic weight (g), number of inflorescence/plant and seed improvement in the crop. The knowledge of genetic yield/plant (g). essential aspect for initiatiating any crop breeding 2