Studies on Genetic divergence and character Association in Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation entitled, "Studies on genetic divergence and character association in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)" involving 50 elite lines/ genotypes was unde11aken to study the genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation coefficient, path coefficient analysis and genetic divergence. Fifty genotypes were tested in randomized block design with 3 replications. The characters under study were days to flowering, plant height, productive tillers per plant, duration of reproductive phase, days to maturity, spike length, number of spike lets per spike, number of grains per spike, test weight, biological yield, harvest index and grain yield per plant. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied, indicating sufficient genetic variability in the genotypes. High estimates of genotypic coefficients of variability were observed for grain yield per plant followed by biological yield, number of grains per spike, productive tillers per plant and test weight. Very high estimates of heritability were found for the characters like plant height, days to flowering, number of grains per spike, grain yield per plant, biological yield, duration of reproductive phase, number of spikelets per spike, test weight, productive tillers per plant, spike length, harvest index and days to maturity. The genetic advance in percent of mean was found to be highest for grain yield per plant followed by biological yield, number of grains per spike and productive tillers per plant. The grain yield per plant had positive and significant association with biological yield and harvest index both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis suggested that biological yield had the highest direct effect and genotypic correlation with grain yield followed by harvest index. Both the direct and indirect selection parameters were found potential for improving the traits of interest through selection breeding programme. The 50 genotypes were grouped into 9 clusters. The maximum inter-cluster distance was between cluster VIII and I. It suggested the hybridization possibilities between the genotypes included in these clusters by virtue of their being of wide genetic diversity. On the basis of studies made on genetic divergence, it was suggested that the crosses between the genotypes of cluster rv, V and VII may give fruitful results in hybridization programme in wheat.