Utilization of Diverse Germplasm for Soybean Yield Improvement

Abstract

Seventeen soybean varieties were evaluated for yield components at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during July to October 2002. Data were recorded for traits viz. leaf area, chlorophyll content, 1st pod height, days to 50% flowering, days to flowering completion, days to pod initiation, days to 50% maturity, plant height, number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant, number of unfilled pods, number of shattered pods, 100 seed weight, grain yield, oil content, protein content. Data were analyzed for analysis of variance, heritability, correlation coefficient and path analysis. Results of analysis of variance revealed that there were highly significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. High heritability was recorded in 100 grain weight, days to maturity, days to flowering completion, days to pod initiation, leaf area, days to 50% flowering, oil contents, no. of shattered pods/plants and grain yield/plant, plant height and protein contents respectively indicating the additive type of gene action. On the basis of heritability selection for these traits will provide greatest improvement in soybean. Correlation coefficient of yield was significant and positive with leaf area, pods per plant and oil contents. Therefore, increase in these traits will ultimately increase the grain yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that days to pod initiation had maximum direct contribution to yield followed. Therefore, it is suggested that this characters can be considered as selection criteria in improving the bean yield of soybean genotypes