Genetic analysis of yield and yield components and determination of selection criteria in pigeonpea germplasm

Abstract

Efforts were made to study genetic variability and character association in 482 germplasm lines of pigeonpea from NBPGR. In general PCV was higher than GCV indicating the effect of environment. The characters seed yield per plant, number of pods per plant, plant height, primary branches and days to 50% flowering showed higher genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation. Except number of seeds per plant and primary branches per plant all the characters recorded high heritability. High heritability, high genetic variance and high genetic advance as per cent of mean shown by the characters seed yield per plant, number of pods per plant, plant height, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. Results indicated high genotypic correlations in general, as compared to phenotypic counterparts indicating strong inherent association between the characters. All the yield contributing characters under study except number of seeds per plant and pod length registered significant positive correlations with seed yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level. Primary branches per plant exerted maximum positive direct effect followed by number of pods per plant, days to maturity and 100 seed weight.