Aims: To improve peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) performance, morphological traits of agronomic
importance were assessed for genetic diversity of six breeding lines. These lines are from different
geographical origins Burkina Faso, Senegal and the USA.
Study Design: The experimental was performed as a Fisher randomized complete block with three
replications.
Place and Duration of Study: The morphological experiment was conducted at the research
station of Rural Development Institute (IDR) at Gampêla in the East-Central area of Burkina Faso
during the cropping season of 2015-2016.
Methodology: Twenty character traits (qualitative and quantitative morphological parameters and
resistance components) described in the peanut descriptor were used for characterization.
Results: Analysis of variance revealed a wide variability between these six lines for different traits
of characters used. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the hierarchical cluster analysis
(HCA) indicate that this variability is structured into three groups. Group I includes early breeding
lines, productive and susceptible to leaf spot (early and late) SH470P, CN94C and (AS) the second
group includes a single line resistant and late GM656; and the third group include resistant and
latest maturing breeding lines, NAMA and PC79-79.
Conclusion: GM656 and CN94C could be potential parents in the breeding program to combine
resistance with early and high yield potential.
Molecular characterization of these breeding lines will better distinguish these and understand the
genetic control of different traits; this will allow an improvement of this important crop for
performance and leaf spot resistance.

Arachis hypogaea L.; agro-morphological traits; characterization; diversity; breeding lines; Burkina Faso.