Direct and Indirect Effects of Yield Contributing Characters on Seed Yield in Black Gram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper)

Abstract

India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world. Pulses play a crucial role in the nutrition of mankind and can be cultivated all over the world, making them important both economically as well as nutritionally. The present investigation was carried out with objective of assessing genetic variability, genetic parameters like GCV, PCV, heritability, genetic advance, correlation and path analysis on 26 Blackgram genotypes with one check using randomized block design with three replication during Kharif 2021 in experimental Farm of the Department Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Observations were recorded for 13 characters viz., days to 50% flowering, days to 50% pod setting, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of primary branches, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length (cm), biological yield per plant (g), harvest Index (%), seed index, seed yield per plant (g). based on mean performance MASH -338 found to be superior in seed yield per plant followed by IPU-99. Among the 13 quantitative characters, high estimates of GCV and PCV were recorded respectively for number of pods per plant followed by number of clusters per plant. Number of pods per plant showed high heritability and genetic advance. Positive and significant correlation with number of clusters per plant at genotypic and phenotypic level. At genotypic level, the highest positive direct effect on Seed yield per plant effect was found for number of clusters per plant and harvest index at genotypic level. It can be concluded that these traits can be used as selection criteria in blackgram for bringing improvement in seed yield.