Genetic variability, diversity and association of quantitative traits with grain yield in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Fifty genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) including Indian and exotic collections were evaluated for yield and other related characters. Five characters i.e.. spikes /plant, grain yield/plant, plant height, flag leaf area and 1000 grain weight exhibited high variability. The remaining traits showed moderate to low variability. Following the Mahalanobis' D² analysis. all the 50 genotypes were grouped into eleven clusters. Genotypes of different areas often grouped together in the same cluster, suggesting some degree of ancestral relationship between the genotypes. This also suggested a lack of relationship between the genetic diversity and place of collection of genotypes. On the basis of the data on genetic divergence and mean performance of yield and other traits, diverse and superior genotypes, namely, NP 890, CPAN 3030, PBW 175, NI 5439, K 65, K 68, HI 1136, K 7410, Narmada -112, Sujata, CPAN 4018, PBW 321, HI 1418, Lok-1, HI 1077, WH 147, CPAN 3031, HUW 234, GW 173 and Sonalika were selected to involve in multiple crossing programme to recover transgressive segregants. Further, on the basis of cluster means, cluster III has been identified for selecting parents for incorporating carly maturity, dwarfness, high flag leaf area and good harvest index: cluster IV for more grains per spike, Cluster x for number of spikes per plant; cluster XI for spike length and bold seed and cluster VI for grain yield per plant. Further, on the basis of character associations, it is argued that selection of plants with more spikes/plant, grains per spike, coupled with optimum harvest index should result in progenies with high grain yield potential in wheat.