Genetics of yield and related traits in groundnut using diallel analysis

Abstract

A 10×10 diallel experiment was conducted on groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to explore the genetic mechanism of yield and its related traits. The data obtained from the experiment were subjected to analysis of variance. The analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences among the parents and their hybrids in F1 generation for all the character were studied in the experiment. The observations were recorded on 50% flowering, plant height, harvest index, pod size, 100 pod weight, 100 kernel weight, diseases infection and yield per hectare, respectively. It reveals that additive and non-additive gene action was involved in the inheritance of this character. Hayman’s ANOVA in accordance with Morley Jone’s modification reveals that both additive (a) and dominance (b) components were significant and exclusively control this character. Graphical analysis revealed non additive gene action with overdominance for harvest index, 100 pod weight, 100 kernel weight and pod index. Additive gene action with overdominance was found for pod size and diseases infection. Genetic analyses of traits confirm the involvement of additive and non-additive gene effects in governing the inheritance of these traits. No epistatic effects were found for all the traits under consideration. From these results, it could be concluded that selection for all the traits under study would be effective in early generation within limits of this experiment.