Assessment of Genetic Variability Parameters and Character Association in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

School of Agriculture, ITM University in Gwalior's Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding performed a Rabi season 2021–2022 study on 15 distinct genotypes of chickpeas to better understand their genetic variability. The genotypes were distributed using a Randomized Block Design with three replications. On the plants themselves, data was gathered on their overall height, the number of main and secondary branches they had at 50% flowering, the number of pods and seeds they had at 100 seeds weight, days to maturity, as well as their grain yields per plant and the total yield per plot. After analyzing the data, A statistical study of each character's genotypes revealed a wide range of results. Plant height, number of main and secondary branches, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, and 100 seed weight provided the highest GCV and PCV values in the experiment. All of these traits, as well as plant height, secondary branch count, days until 50% of the flowers open, pod count per plant, grain production per plant, and total yield per plot, demonstrated significant heritability and genetic advancement as a percentage of the mean. Traits such as plant height, no of seeds per pod, and total yield per plot, exhibited a significant positive correlation with grain yield per plant and this will show a greater direct effect on single yield plant.