Exploring Genetic Variability Parameters for Yield and Quality Traits in Urdbean Genotypes and Its Triple Test Cross F1 Hybrids

Abstract

Pulses play a vital role in providing nutrition to billions of individuals globally. Improving yield in the urdbean faces a significant challenge due to its narrow genetic base and limited exploitable variation. This research explores the genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance among 111 diverse lines of urdbean. 27 lines, three testers, and Eighty-one F1 hybrids were grown in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications during Kharif 2023 at the Crop Experimental Research Farm of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kalyanpur, Kanpur (U.P.). The analysis of variance for parents (27 lines and three testers) and their 81 triple test cross hybrids indicated highly significant genotypic differences across all traits under study. The PCV was higher compared to GCV for all the traits, While Maximum GCV and PCV were observed for primary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant, and harvest index. Broad-sense heritability (h2b) was high for all the traits examined ranging from 73.27% to 98.05%. Further, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent over mean were recorded for all the traits except day to 50% flowering, day to 75% maturity, and protein content, where high heritability is observed with moderate genetic advance. These findings suggest the involvement of additive genetic effects in shaping the inheritance of these traits and phenotypic selection of these characters would be effective for further breeding purposes.