Genetic Characterization and Character Association Study in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for Grain Yield and Yield Attributing Traits

Abstract

Present research work was carried out at the research farm of Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Rama University, Kanpur to investigate the pattern of genetic variability and heritability in the elite genotypes of wheat germplasm. In current study 27 wheat genotypes including checks entries viz., HD 2967 AND PBW 152 have been evaluated in randomized block design in 3 replication and the observations have been recorded on the eleven metric traits viz., Days to 50% flowering, Days to maturity, Flag leaf area (cm2), Tillers per plant, plant height (cm), spike length (cm), Spikelet per spike, Grain yield per plant (g), Biological yield per plant (g), Test weight (g) and Harvest index (%). The analysis of variance showed significant mean sum of squares due to all traits under study. High estimates of heritability were observed for all of the traits viz., grain yield per plant (98.90%) followed by test weight (95.53%) and harvest index (94.88 %), whereas, high estimates of genetic advance (>20%) in per cent over mean was recorded for the traits grain yield per plant (44.26%) followed by spike length (36.12%) and Test weight (28.51%), High heritability accompanied with high genetic advance for the traits showed additive gene action and the selection for such traits would be rewarding.