Assessment of Genetic Variability in Cytoplasmic Male Sterility based Wheat Hybrid

Abstract

Present study was carried out to evaluate genetic variability and inheritance of yield contributing traits using fifteen cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) based F1 hybrid of wheat involving fifteen CMS based lines and one restorer line received from IIWBR, Karnal and Division of Genetics, IARI under CRP on hybrid wheat programme along with five wheat checks. Experiment was conducted during Rabi 2019-20 in randomized block design with two replications in three different sowing dates at Seed Breeding Farm, JNKVV, Jabalpur. Analysis of variance revealed that, significant differences among the crosses for all the traits indicated that the presence of sufficient amount of genetic variability. High GCV% and PCV % accounted for the traits number of effective tillers/plant and number of spikes/plant, thousand grain weights, spike weight and grain yield/plant in EI, EII, EIII and pooled environment. Genetic advance as percentage of mean estimate was highest for biological yield/plant (33.99%) and mean noted respectively number of effective tillers/plant, thousand grain weight, number of spikes/plant and grain yield/plant in different environment conditions. Hence, selection of these traits would be effective for further crop improvement programme. On the basis of mean and range, maximum mean value noted in respective CMS based hybrids viz., grain yield/plant (CMS96A*Res-37), thousand grain weights and grains/ear (CMS86A*Res-37), harvest index (CMS85A*Res-37), number of effective tillers/plant (CMS95A*Res-37). These crosses contributed directly for yield improvement and to meet the demand of increasing population to make India self sufficient in food security.