Priya P Menon1*, KT Chandramohanan2, VV Radhakrishnan3
A pooled factor analysis of fifteen morphometric variables representing growth and yield characters of sixty eight accessions of peacock ginger (Kaempferia rotunda L.) was carried out to determine character association and for identifying marker characters which accommodate the inheritance of associated characters. Among the fifteen variables subjected to factor analysis, three factors were identified as having maximum influence on growth and yield characters of peacock ginger. Out of the three factors identified, two factors controlled yield characters and the other factor controlled growth characters. The characters identified with maximum factor loadings in each group include diameter of primary finger, diameter of secondary finger and diameter of mother rhizome which can be regarded as the lead characters among the fifteen characters under study in K. rotunda. The three factors accounted for 76.12% of the total variance.
KeywordsAccessions; Factor analysis; Factor loadings; Kaempferia rotunda; Peacock ginger; Principal component analysis; Marker characters