Genetic variability and selection response for root and other characters in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

摘要

Twelve characters, namely, days to germination, days to first flower, leaf length, leaf width, plant height, days to maturity, number of mature pods per plant, root length, root weight, number of root nodules per plant, 100 pod weight, and yield perplant were studied in a group of 67 groundnut lines including some varieties for variability, heritability, expected genetic advance and correlation. Results have shown that number of root nodules per plant is the only character which showed highest phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variability, highest heritability and highest genetic advance. Thus, there is a scope for improving this important trait, which is associated with nitrogen fixation with the aim of improving yield in groundnut. But asthe measurement of this trait is more time consuming a more easily measured trait, root length can be used for improving the number of nodules per plant and ultimately the yield as root length is positively and significantly correlated with number of nodules per plant and path analysis has shown high and positive direct effect of root length on yield per plant.