Growth and physiological variability among clones of Dalbergia sissoo growing in a CSO revealed maximum height and GBH in Gonda clones (C196 and C198) and minimum growth attributes in Rajasthan clones. All biochemical constituents except sugar were also maximum in Gonda clones. Maximum chl. a, total chl., and chlorofluorescence (CF) were recorded in C235 and C123 while chl. b was maximum in C198. Among tested clones, sugar content was maximum in C60 (Chhachhrauli) while C198 (Gonda) revealed maximum protein content. Heritability estimates of 8 characters at 99% revealed strong genetic control of total chls., sugars, proteins, and chl. b; however, maximum genetic gains of 117% and 80% were recorded for sugar and protein content, respectively. Correlation matrix revealed a positive correlation between height and GBH and CF. Among biochemical constituents, chl. a, and chl. b, chl. b, and total chl. were correlated significantly at 0.1% level. Regarding contribution of different parameters to variability, height and GBH were the greatest contributors. Clustering of clones on the basis of all three parameters separated clones in one major and six minor clusters. Average distance from centroid was found to be 22.61 whereas the maximum distance from centroid was 50.75. 1. Introduction Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Shisham) is a multipurpose tree species of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. It is one of the seven most valuable timber species in Asia and indigenous to India and Burma. It is important timber of Northern India and constitutes 70% of commercial stock used by the timber industry. The heartwood of Shisham is extremely durable and forms a raw material for a variety of wood based industries. The species is widely distributed in sub-Himalayan tract from Indus to Assam and occurs up to an elevation of 900？m extending occasionally up to 1500？m. in the natural habitat. It grows naturally in new alluvium formed deposits but prefers well drained sandy loam soils with adequate moisture supply. Being multipurpose nitrogen fixing tree, it is among the most favored plantation species of Northern India. Under favorable conditions, it attains a height of 30？m and a girth of 2.4？m [1]. Heavy mortality of Shisham registered almost in all Shisham growing areas of India during the last few decades calls for improvement of the species for growth, tree form, and disease resistance. For any tree improvement program, it is foremost important, first, to scan all available genetic variation within/between species and delineation of the best genotype matching to the site for
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