STUDY OF GENETIC VARIABILITY OF LENTIL (<i>Lens culinaris</i> Medik) GERMPLASM FOR MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND YIELD TRAITS

Abstract

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is one of the oldest crops in the world, an autogamous, diploid species and one of the most common grain legume crops. Lentil is a significant member of the Fabaceae Family. The majority of its production occurs in marginal lands with rain-fed conditions. Lentils have a strong impact on genetics and alter yield percentages in loamy soil. Lentil production and acreage have declined badly during the last ten years. During 2022–2023, a field experiment was conducted at the Pulses Research Area of the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute in Faisalabad. Two hundred genotypes with four slandered checks were tested in this research i.e Masoor - 93, Pb M-2009, Markaz-2009, and Pb M-2019. Markaz-2009 was approved variety of NARC, and the other three checks were commercial varieties developed by PRI Faisalabad. Two hundred genotypes used in the experiment, were carried out in rows of four meters each, with a row-to-row spacing of 30 cm and a plant-to-plant 10cm spacing. The variability in yield, heritability, genetic development, and relationships among the 200 accession of lentil germplasm were determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to analyses the data. The significant outcomes and variations for all attributes among genotypes expressed by the principal component analysis were observed. Estimated heritability requirements ranged from 30 to 50% for plant height, pods per plant, plant biomass, days to 90% maturity, days to 50% flowering, and days to seed production. Plant height, number of branches per plant, and number of pods per plant all were significantly correlated positively with yield, whereas plant stand, days to 90% maturity and plant biomass significantly correlated negatively with yield per hectare. Days to 50% flowering and seed production have a strong positive relationship with days to 90% maturity. The results revealed significant yield variance and traits that affect yield for the genotypes studied, which will aid in the improvement of lentil genotypes in the area. From 200 accessions, the PLL-15501, ILL-1697-1939, PLL-15508, PLL-15504, and PLL-13515 lines displayed the highest plant height, whereas the AARIL-08515, AARIL-04533, PLL-10511, PLL-14518, and PLL-15501 lines displayed the highest number of branches per plant. Maximum pods per plant shown in entries like AARIL-98502, PLL-10507, PLL-13515, PLL-14522, PLL-15502, and PLL-19502. The data statistically analyzed to identify the best genotypes for the characters previously described.