Abstract
This experiment was aimed to study whether genetic variability exists in the seedling vigour of 50 elite spring wheat lines and also to study its correlation with yield and yield components. Analysis of variance reveals significant difference for seedling vigour index as well as other yield and yield components. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was observed highest in seed yield plot‑1, vigour index, 1000-seed weight and tillers m-2. The highest heritability accompanied with genetic advance was observed in seed yield plot-1, seed vigour index, 1000-seed weight and spike length which is due to additive gene action and direct selection for these traits would be rewarding. Seed vigour index had significant and positive correlation with seed yield and other yield components except for spike length at both phenotypic and genotypic level. This study revealed that seed vigour index is strongly under genetic control and has great scope to be included in wheat breeding program as a selection parameter to assess stress tolerant as well as vigorous genotypes. Key words: Seed vigour, yield parameters, genetic variability, correlation, wheat.
Highlights
Wheat breeders are continuously seeking the improvement in wheat through various ways to ensure a near perfect stand crop, which in turn depends up on good quality seed with good germination followed by vigorous seedlings, which can help the crop to escape the hazards of water stress conditions etc
This study revealed that seed vigour index is strongly under genetic control and has great scope to be included in wheat breeding program as a selection parameter to assess stress tolerant as well as vigorous genotypes
The variability and estimates of genetic parameters from pooled data of two years revealed that the phenotypic coefficient of variances (PCVs) were higher than that of corresponding genotypic coefficient of variances (GCVs) for all the traits indicating that traits interacted with environment (Table 1)
Summary
Wheat breeders are continuously seeking the improvement in wheat through various ways to ensure a near perfect stand crop, which in turn depends up on good quality seed with good germination followed by vigorous seedlings, which can help the crop to escape the hazards of water stress conditions etc. Optimum plant population is one of the most crucial factor for obtaining higher production and profitability for any crop which is generally influenced by vigorous status of seed (Kumar and Kharab, 2002). Before a character is introduced in a breeding programme, study of its genetic variability and correlation is a pre-requisite. Correlation on the other hand gives an idea about various associations existing between yield and other characters under study. This study was conducted with the objective to observe whether genetic variability exists in seed vigour index and its correlation with yield and yield components so that it may be included in a breeding program as selection parameter
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