Grain amaranth is a protein rich psuedocereal, assumes an important position in terms of quality breeding activities. Systematic characterization, evaluation and utilization of the potential germplasm in the crop are prerequisite to any crop improvement. The investigation on genetic variability and genetic divergence with respect to yield component traits estimated using 105 germplasm during Kharif 2013 at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. A high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was observed for all the traits except for, chlorophyll content (SPAD chlorophyll meter reading), panicle width and 1000 seed weight. Heritability estimates were high for all the characters studied. High genetic advance as per cent mean (GAM) was registered for most of the traits except for 50 per cent flowering, 1000 seed weight and days to maturity. The divergence studies using K-means clusters analysis approach has grouped the test materials into seven clusters. Cluster V was the largest comprising of 25 genotypes while cluster VII was solitary with only one genotype. Inter-cluster distance was maximum between clusters II and cluster VII. The genotypes IC095204, SKGPA-70 and IC095244 superior over the standard check for grain yield.

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