Genetic variability and correlation among traits explaining resistance to <i>Cercospora</i> leaf spots in groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to study genetic variability and correlation between percent defoliation, Cercospora severity, yield and yield components in groundnut, in North Cameroon. Genotypic coefficient of variability, broad sense heritability, genetic gain and correlation coefficients between all thecharacters studied were estimated by the variance components procedure. Results show that Cercospora severity and fodder yield at harvest had high and significant genotypic correlation coefficients of +0.74** and - 0.61*, respectively with percent defoliation. This indicates that these characters are governed by the same genes (pleiotropism). Thus, selection could be carried out on disease severity and fodder yield at harvest to improve resistance to Cercospora leaf spots in groundnut.