Studies on genetic variability in finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn] genotypes under sodic conditions

Abstract

The present study was carried out during kharif 2018 at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Trichy under sodic field condition. The experimental material comprising of 120 finger millet genotypes along with two checks viz., TRY 1and Paiyur 2 was laid out in randomized complete block design. Observations were recorded for 13 quantitative characters and the data were analyzed for biometric characters viz., phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), heritability(h2) and genetic advance as per cent of mean (GAM).High PCV and GCV were recorded for the characters Na+/K+ ratio, grain yield per plant, number of tillers per plant, number of productive tillers per plant and straw yield per plant indicating the presence of high variability among the finger millet genotypes. High heritability coupled with genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for all the characters except days to maturity it may be due to additive effects and selection may be effective for those character with high heritability and genetic advance viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, earhead length, finger length, number of fingers per earhead, number of tillers per plant, number of productive tillers per plant, 1000 grain weigh, Na+/K+ ratio, straw yield per plant and grain yield per plant.