All rice accessions were grouped into 3 clusters at 0.5 minimum distance between clusters
(Fig. 2). Numbers of rice accessions in these 3 clusters were 4, 2 and10in the first, second
and the third clusters, respectively. When consider the grouping behavior of rice accessions,
a clear differentiation of rice accessions into three clusters was observed with few
exceptions. Thus, cluster I and II represented the rice accessions for traditional varieties and
cluster III represented the rice accessions of NIVs. Interestingly, accession 2851 reflecting
old improved variety H4 grouped into the cluster I containing accessions for traditional
varieties. Furthermore, accession 3136 represent the traditional variety Pachchaperumal
clustered into the third cluster which contained all the NIVs rice accessions. Rice accessions
2840 and 10617 representing NIVs, Bg300 and Bg305 respectively were first formed in to a
group at 0.12 minimum distance between clusters. Therefore, these two accessions can be
considered as morphologically closest accessions among the tested ones.