Type Of Gene Action Research Articles

Estimation of Gene Interaction for Grain Yield and Yield Traits in Rabi Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Generation mean analysis is the potent tool to provide information about different types of gene actions and interactions. To determine the inheritance pattern and gene action of 10 grain yield and grain related quantitative traits, six generations of the four cross combinations viz., BJV44 × DSMR8, BJV44 × DSMR4, PKV Kranti × DSMR8 and PKV Kranti × DSMR4 were studied employing generation mean analysis during rabi of 2020. Interestingly, both additive and dominant gene action were prevalent for all the traits in the cross BJV44 × DSMR8, whereas the other three crosses exhibited additive for some traits and dominant gene action for some traits. Most of the traits in the majority of the crosses displayed the duplicate type of gene interaction and realized their suitability for the population improvement program. Some crosses viz., BJV44 × DSMR4 and PKV Kranti × DSMR4 exhibited complementary gene interaction and were found suitable for heterosis breeding for grain yield/plant.

Elucidation of Combining Ability and Gene in Bottle Gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.

Aims: To Study combining ability effects and evaluate gene action for fruit yield with associated traits of bottle gourd.
 Study Design: Randomized block design.
 Place and Duration of Study: The seeds of F1 hybrids were produced during summer 2021 at Potato Research Station, S. D. Agricultural University, Deesa.
 Methodology: The experimental material consisted of twelve parents, their 35 Line × Tester crosses and one standard check (ABGH 1).
 Results: The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that the mean sum of squares due to female (lines) and male (testers) were highly significant for all the traits except fruit girth, average fruit weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll. The gca effects indicated that four male parents ABGS 14-25, ABGS 11-17, ABGS 11-24 and PUNJAB LONG and three female parents DBG 5, NDBG 132 and LOCAL were found good general combiners for fruit yield per plant and its some of the contributing traits. Based on estimates of sca effects, the most promising hybrids for fruit yield per plant were DBG 5 × ABGS 14-27, NDBG 132 × PUNJAB LONG and GPBG 108 × ABGS 11-24. The good general combiners for fruit yield and contributing traits can be utilized in intensive crossing programme and select transgressive segregants for desired characters in segregating generations to develop superior lines.
 Conclusion: The ratio of σ2GCA / σ2SCAwas less than unity for all the characters under study, which suggested greater role of non-additive genetic variance in the inheritance of these characters. The genetic components of variance revealed that different type of gene action were involved for fruit yield associated with different traits in bottle gourd.

ESTIMATION OF COMBINING ABILITY EFFECTS FOR YIELD AND FATTY ACID-RELATED TRAITS IN BRASSICA RAPA USING LINE BY TESTER ANALYSIS

Brassica rapa is an important oilseed crop in Pakistan. It is a rich source of oil and contains 40%–46% oil. In addition, its meal has 38%–40% protein. Given their high levels of erucic acid and glucosinolate, mustard and rapeseed oil is unhealthy as regular cooking oil. A dire need to exploit the genetic variability of rapeseed germplasm is necessary to improve the performance of cultivars. The line × tester analysis helped estimate various types of gene actions that are important to quantitative traits. The key to successful research is selecting suitable lines and testers and designing good mating patterns. Choosing and developing genotypes with high yield and fatty acid profiles are the major concern of rapeseed breeders. The current research on hybridization and evaluation of Brassica rapa accessions sought better harvest and its related traits from the selected germplasm. The combining ability effects determination used line × tester analysis in rapeseed. The accessions’ variability analysis exhibited extremely significant differences in yield and related traits. Recorded data for different morphological and yield-related qualities provided days till 50% flowering, the number of major branches per plant, and the number of secondary branches per plant had positive and significant general combining ability estimates, and all yield-related variables had extremely notable specific combining ability estimates. All the yield-related characteristics displayed a favorable and substantial connection in the examined germplasm. Among the lines, 28244, 40980, and 40981 occurred to be the best general combiners showing the additive gene action. The cross combinations, 40977 × 26283, 40979 × 26283, and 40981 × 26283, indicated significant specific combining ability effects, which showed the non-additive genetic effects of total variance due to the dominance and/or epistasis. The results suggested that the research material used in the remarkable study can benefit by improving yield and fatty acids-related components and can further enhance upcoming breeding programs based on strong particular combining ability impacts.

Estimation of Combining Ability, Gene Action and Components of Genetic Variation in Forage Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.)

Aims: To Study the combining ability effects and evaluate the genetics of the parents for fodder yield and its component traits in sorghum.
 Study Design: Randomized block design.
 Place and Duration of Study: The seeds of F1 hybrids were produced during summer 2022 at Center for Millets Research, S. D. Agricultural University, Deesa.
 Methodology: Six parental genotypes were used in the experiment, which produced 15 half-diallel crosses in sorghum.
 Results: The analysis of variance for combining-ability (CA) studies revealed that mean sum of squares due to general combining ability (GCA) were important for most of the characters except the leaf length of blade. Based on the gca effect, the parents CSV 46, IS 3338 and Malwan were good general combiners for green and dry fodder yield per plant. The unit slope of regression line and non- significant t2 value asserted the validity of the additive-dominance model for total plant height, number of leaf per plant, stem diameter, leaf length of blade, leaf width of blade, dry fodder yield per plant and crude protein content in dry fodder. The value of H1 was superior to H2 for most of the characters representing that gene distribution frequency in the parent genotypes was asymmetry and that was supported by the ratio of H2/4H1 (i.e., less than 0.25). The KD/KR components value was greater than one among most of the traits except for number of leaf per plant and crude protein content in dry fodder showed that parents had more dominant genes compared to recessive genes frequency.
 Conclusion: The ratio of σ2gca/σ2sca being more than unity, which suggested greater role of additive genetic variance in the inheritance of these traits. The genetic components of variance and graphical analysis revealed that different type of gene action were involved for forage yield and components traits in sorghum.

Incompatibility Systems in Fruit Crops: Applications and Achievements

The method of pollination is crucial for fruit crop breeding since it affects the genetic makeup, type of gene action, ease of pollination control, and stability of varieties after release. There are a number of processes that encourage cross-pollination, but self-incompatibility (SI) is particularly significant since it is exploited in the production of hybrid seeds. SI is the practice of not allowing fertile (functioning) male and female gametes from the same plant to fuse together. Since ancient times, breeders and growers have successfully used SI as a tool to modify domesticated crops. Self-incompatibility may have an array of causes, including those that are physical, physiological, biochemical, and molecular, but on a broader scale, it appears that all of these components interact to regulate it. According to molecular investigations, at least two genes in the S-locus regulate the SI, one of which functions as a male and one as a female determinant. Self-incompatibility has several different uses, including marker-assisted breeding through SI genotyping, agricultural production and quality improvement, and the creation of hybrids to get over intra- and interspecific reproductive obstacles.

Breeding for Higher Ascorbic Acid and Mineral Nutrients in Snowball Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

The components of genetic variance and gene action effects for ascorbic acid and mineral nutrient contents in snowball cauliflower lines were estimated through line × tester analysis involving 5 Ogura based CMS lines and 7 male fertile testers. The mean squares due to lines and testers were significant for ascorbic acid and mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, Na, K, S, Fe, Mn and Zn). Ogu 103 was best performing CMS line for K (182.32 mg/100 g), S (29.48 mg/100 g), Ca (23.19 mg/100 g), Mg (13.22 mg/100 g), Zn (313.33 μg/100 g) and Mn (235.00 μg/100 g) whereas maximum ascorbic acid (81.26), Na (24.37) and Fe content (645.03 μg/100 g) was noted in Ogu 119, Ogu 13-85 and Ogu 13-01, respectively. Among the testers, Kt-18 recorded maximum value (mg/100 g) for Na (98.03), K (277.52), S (42.87), Ca (43.73) and Mg (29.44), respectively, whereas Kt-22 had highest ascorbic acid (70.84 mg/100 g) and Mn content (343.50 μg/100 g) and Sel-26 had maximum Fe (1424.93 μg/100 g) and Zn (458.70 μg/100 g) contents. The best-performing hybrids for different macro-nutrients (mg/100 g) were, Ogu 101 × Sel-26 for ascorbic acid (94.05), Ogu 103 × Sel-26 for Na (98.63), Ogu 13-01 × Sel-26 for K (300.18), Ogu 101 × Lalchowk Maghi for S (49.34), Ogu 119 × Suprimax Late for Ca (54.65), Ogu 13-85 × DB-187 for Mg (35.60). For micronutrients (μg/100 g FW), the best hybrids were Ogu 13-01 × DB-187 for Fe (1775.60), Ogu 101 × Lalchowk Maghi for Zn (642.10) and Ogu 101 × Kt-22 for Mn content (381.60). Predominance of dominance component of variance was observed for vitamin C and mineral nutrients. The traits studied had narrow differences among GCV, PCV and broad sense heritability values, suggesting low effect of environment. The variance due to general (σ2gca) and specific combining abilities (σ2sca) were highly significant indicating the importance of both additive (σ2A) as well as non-additive (σ2D) type of gene actions. However, the ratios of σ2gca/ σ2sca (<1) and σ2A/σ2D (<1) revealed the preponderance of non-additive variance for the inheritance of traits studied. The study’s results suggest the possibility of improving these traits through recurrent selection and hybridization.

Delovanje gena za prinos zrna i njegova povezanost sa komponentama prinosa u dijalelnom ukrštanju ozime pšenice

Magnitude and type of gene actions in a specific population are the main criteria for the parents' selection that will develop the best recombinants after hybridization. Information about the genetic control of complex traits is useful for the further development of efficient breeding programs. In order to identify action of genes for grain yield plant-1 and its correlation with main yield components, incomplete diallel crossing was applied. The field trial was conducted at the experimental field of the Agricultural Advisory Service in southeastern Europe, during season 2012-2013. Mean values of F1 generation showed that crosses Apache × Prima had the highest value of grain yield plant-1 and Jackson × Balkan had the lowest. Common type of inheritance for grain yield plant-1 was over dominance. The ANOVA revealed that this trait was controlled by additive and non-additive effects. The best general combiner for grain yield plant-1 was Apache, and two crosses (Dragana × Jackson; Balaton × Nevesinjka) showed significant SCA effects. Components of genetic variance showed that dominant was more important than additive component, and the total number of dominant genes were in excess over the number of recessive genes in all parents. Furthermore, moderately low value of narrow sense heritability (h2=31.96%) was observed for grain yield plant-1 . Parent Sana contained maximum dominant genes, whereas parent Jackson had maximum recessive genes. Grain yield plant-1 was significantly correlated with tillers numbers plant-1 at genotypic level (rg=0.494). The results from this study might be helpful for creating new wheat cultivars with highyielding potential.

Assessment Of Frequency Distribution In F3 generation of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.) For Grain Yield And Its Attributed Traits

The present study was conducted to assess the gene interaction for grain yield and its attributing traits towards the increase of grain yield in sorghum. In F3 generation, symmetrical distribution, positive skewness and negative skewness were observed for 14 traits in various crosses. Symmetrical distribution indicates the presence of segregating genes that gives wider variation in F3 populations. Significant and positive skewness indicates the complementary type of gene action hence the expected genetic gain is slower with mild selection and faster with intensive selection for that particular trait. Significant and negative skewness denotes the presence of duplicate epistatic gene action therefore the gain is faster with mild selection and less rapid with intense selection. In kurtosis, leptokurtic and mesokurtic nature was observed which indicate that the traits are under the control of few segregating genes and the next indicates the nonsignificant of kurtosis respectively. The intensive selection of these characters in F3 generation paved the way to achieve the gain faster

Genetic parameters controlling the inheritance of glaucousness and yield traits in bread wheat.

Wheat breeders frequently use generation mean analysis to obtain information on the type of gene action involved in inheriting a trait to choose the helpful breeding procedure for trait improvement. The present study was carried out to study the inter-allelic and intra-allelic gene action and inheritance of glaucousness, earliness and yield traits in a bread wheat cross between divergent parents in glaucousness and yield traits; namely Mut-2 (P1) and Sakha 93 (P2). The experimental material included six populations, i.e. P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1, and BC2 for this wheat cross. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used, and a six parameters model was applied. Additive effects were generally more critical than dominance for all studied traits, except for plant height (PH) and grain yield/plant (GYPP). The duplicate epistasis was observed in spike length; SL, spikes/plant; SPP and days to heading; DTH. All six types of allelic and non-allelic interaction effects controlled SL, GYPP, DTH and glaucousness. All three types of epistasis, i.e. additive x additive, additive x dominance, and dominance x dominance, are essential in determining the inheritance of four traits (SL, GYPP, DTH and glaucousness). Dominance × dominance effects were higher in magnitude than additive × dominance and additive × additive in most traits. The average degree of dominance was minor than unity in six traits (glaucousness, grains/spike, spike weight, days to maturity, 100-grain weight and SL), indicating partial dominance and selection for these traits might be more effective in early generations. Meanwhile, the remaining traits (PH, SPP, GYPP and DTH) had a degree of dominance more than unity, indicating that overdominance gene effects control such traits and it is preferable to postpone selection to later generations. The highest values of narrow-sense heritability and genetic advance were recorded by glaucousness trait followed by SL and SPP, indicating that selection in segregating generations would be more effective than other traits.

Determination of Combining Ability and Type of Gene Action Using Half-Diallel Cross Among Seven S6 White Maize Inbred Lines

Determination of Combining Ability and Type of Gene Action Using Half-Diallel Cross Among Seven S6 White Maize Inbred Lines

DYNAMICS OF HERITABILITY IN DIFFERENT CHARACTERS OF LETTUCE

ABSTRACT The lack of knowledge of the genetic parameters and the type of gene action results in difficulties to obtain varieties that combine agronomic and functional characteristics. The objective of this study was to determine the type of gene action associated with the contents of chlorophyll and agronomic characteristics in lettuce populations. The research was conducted at the Experimental Station of Vegetables, Monte Carmelo, Brazil. To perform the crosses and obtain the generations P1, P2, F1, F2, Bc1 and Bc2 the genotypes UFU-Albina#2, UFU-Albina#3, UFU-Lisa124#2#1, UFU-Crespa199#1#1 and UFU-Lisa217#5#2 were used as parents. The generations were evaluated for three characteristics: number of leaves, plant diameter and chlorophyll content. The parameters: genetic, phenotypic, environmental and additive variance, the dominance in F2, heritability in the broad and narrow-sense, the average degree of dominance based on averages, number of genes, the measure of the dominance deviations, additive effects and all interactions of ‘additive x additive’, ‘additive x dominant’ and ‘dominant x dominant’ type, were evaluated. Chlorophyll content was the most influenced by the environment. Plant diameter had the highest narrow-sense heritability for the cross UFU-Lisa-124#2#1 x UFU-Albina#3 (82.1%). The number of genes for the number of leaves varied from inconclusive to a minimum of 9 genes. The gene interactions for number of leaves were of overdominance type, while for plant diameter and for chlorophyll content the gene interactions were of partial dominance. The characteristics are suggested as being of polygenic or oligogenic nature.

Development of a Five-Parameter Model to Facilitate the Estimation of Additive, Dominance, and Epistatic Effects with a Mediating Using Bootstrapping in Advanced Generations of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

As a result of two crosses among three local varieties of wheat, five populations (P1, P2, F5, F6 and F7) were used as parents and grown during two successive seasons; 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. To estimate five types of gene action (e.g., mean effects, additive, dominance, additive × additive, and dominance × dominance), five formulas were developed from with algebraic solution, algebraic proof, and mathematical proof. Besides, to test adequate of a simple additive-dominance model, three formulas A, B, and C scaling test were developed. The path analysis method by PROCESS Macro, AMOS, and Bootstrapping was employed to assess the relationships between grain yield/plant (GYP) as the dependent variable and each one of the number of spikes (NS) and 1000-grain weight (TW) as the independent variables. The results show that there are eight validated equations used to estimate the scaling test (A, B and C) and five types of gene effects (m, a, D, I and L), respectively. Confidence interval using Bootstrapping results indicate that TW was played as the partial mediator between NS as an exogenous variable and GYP as an endogenous variable. Generation means analysis is a relatively simple and statistically reliable tool suitable for the fundamental estimation of different genetic influences.

Genetic analysis for seed cotton yield and its contributing traits in interspecific crosses of diploid cotton (G. herbaceum × G. arboreum)

Generation mean study was carried out in two interspecific crosses of diploid cotton i.e., GBhv-302 × PA-812 and GBhv-302 × ARBa-1502 using six parameter model. Simple scaling tests along with joint scaling test were carried out to check the sufficiency of additive-dominance model. The estimates of dominant (h) gene action were higher than the additive (d) gene action in one or more characters studied. Among epistasis, additive × additive (i) type of gene action was found to be significant in cross GBhv-302 × PA-812 for sympodia per plant and ginning outturn and in cross GBhv-302 × ARBa-1502 for sympodia per plant, bolls per plant and seed cotton yield per plant. While dominance × dominance (l) type of gene effect contributed significantly in cross GBhv-302 × PA-812 for sympodia per plant and in cross GBhv-302 × ARBa-1502 for sympodia per plant, average boll weight, bolls per plant, average boll weight and seed cotton yield per plant. Duplicate type of epistasis was observed for sympodia per plant in both the crosses, for bolls per plant and seed cotton yield per plant in cross GBhv-302 × ARBa-1502 and for ginning outturn in cross GBhv-302 × PA-812. While complementary type of gene interaction was detected for bolls per plant and seed cotton yield per plant in cross GBhv-302 × PA-812 and for average boll weight and ginning outturn in cross GBhv-302 × ARBa-1502. Key words Diploid cotton, additive, dominance and epistasis gene actions

Combining Ability of Sweet Potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] Genotypes for Beta Carotene and Dry Matter Content in Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria

Roots of orange fleshed sweet potato varieties currently available in Nigeria contain high quantities of β-carotene or pro-vitamin A but have high moisture content. These varieties have been found to be a cheap and important remedy for vitamin A deficiency. The cream or white fleshed varieties on the other hand, have sweet taste with high dry matter content, giving a dry texture, a quality trait preferred in Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to examine the quantitative inheritance of important traits in sweet potato by means of a diallel analysis with a view to estimating the GCA and SCA components of genetic variance, and to determine the associated type of gene action controlling β-carotene content and root dry mass. A diallel crosses experiment using six parental sweet potato genotypes crossed in all possible combinations were carried out. Resultant thirty progenies were evaluated for beta carotene (β-carotene) and dry matter content in Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria during the cropping season of 2012 and 2013. The 30 F1 progenies along with their parental lines were planted in the same field trial. The trial was laid out in 6 x 6 triple lattice in two replications. Highly significant (P≤ 0.01) differences were observed among the genotypes for all the tested traits. The average β-carotene content for the progenies was 2.86 (mg/100 g f.w.) while the dry matter content was 31.89%. The cross combination 199024.2 x Excel recorded the highest beta carotene (14.37 mg/100 g f.w) and dry matter content (40.10%), this candidate is therefore suggested for further evaluation.
 Key words: Diallel analysis, Dry matter, Southern Guinea Savanna, Sweet potato, Vitamin A, β-carotene.

Emmer wheat as a source for trait improvement in durum wheat: a study of general and specific combining ability

Emmer wheat (Triticum. turgidum ssp. dicoccum) as an ancestor of bread and durum wheats, can be a potential resource to restore genetic diversity in modern durum wheats. In order to estimate the combining ability, the type of gene action, heritability, and other genetic parameters of agronomic traits, a full diallel cross (12 × 12) was made between eight durum cultivars and four emmer wheat accessions. The F1 hybrids (132 combinations) and their parents were evaluated for important traits that account for productivity during two cropping seasons. Considerable genetic diversity among the parents and the hybrids was evident, with most of the hybrids showing higher grain yields than their respective durum parent. High general combining ability for all of the measured traits, and higher Baker ratios for most of the traits indicated that additive gene action was involved. Based on the Griffing diallel method, the specific combining ability was significant for most of the measured traits. The Hayman analysis revealed the presence of partial dominance gene action for traits such as the number of tillers per plant (NT), grain weight per spike (GWS), harvest index (HI), days to heading (DH), and number of kernels per spike (NKS). However, plant height (PH), days to maturity (DM), peduncle length (PL), and grain yield (GY) were under the influence of the over-dominance gene action. The narrow-sense heritability for GWS, NKS, kernel diameter (KD), and HI was relatively high and these four were positively correlated with grain yield. Therefore, selection for these four traits in early generations may indirectly improve yield. The results indicate that Iranian emmer wheats are a good source of wild type alleles and valuable QTLs to improve the elite durum wheat cultivars.

Detection of Epistasis for Biometrical Traits in Urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] under Mid-hill Conditions of Northwestern Himalayas

Background: Pulses are rich in their nutritional values, but having lower yield as compared to cereals. For increasing yield parameters, various crop improvement programmes were used, which mainly depends on the genetic architecture of the crop and the type of gene action helps in deciding the breeding strategies. Keeping under consideration, the present study therefore, is important.Methods: Eighty one triple test cross progenies developed by crossing 27 lines with three testers viz., HPBU-111, Him Mash-1 and their F1s cross between (HPBU-111 x Him Mash-1). F1 seeds were produced by cross between HPBU-111 x Him Mash-1 during Kharif 2015. By crossing these three testers with 27 lines (females), 81 hybrids were developed during Kharif 2016. The eighty one F1 hybrids along with 27 lines and 3 testers were sown during Kharif 2017 in a randomized block design with three replications.Result: Epistasis was found to be an integral part of genetic variations for the traits viz., days to 50% flowering, days to 75% maturity, plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, pod length (cm), number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed yield per plant (g), biological yield per plant (g), 100 seed weight, harvest index (%) and protein content (%). i type epistatic interactions (additive x additive) had significant effects for all the traits except, plant height (cm), pod length (cm), number of seeds per pod and protein content (%). In addition to i (additive x additive), j+l (additive x dominance + dominance x dominance) type epistatic interactions was observed for all of the traits. Both additive and non-additive gene actions are important for most of the traits studied hence, simple selection procedures in the immediate progenies will not be so effective for achieving improvement in these traits.

Combining ability and gene action studies for seed yield and its components in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

A line x tester analysis using nine lines and five testers was carried out to study the combining ability and gene action in sesame for seed yield and its related 11 quantitative traits. The partitioning of variances due to the crosses showed that the mean squares due to lines were found significant for all the characters except for number of branches per plant and oil content, whereas mean squares due to testers and lines x testers were found significant for all the characters except for the plant height and number of branches per plant. General and specific combining ability variances showed the involvement of both type of gene actions in the inheritance of these characters. Among the parents, two lines viz., AT-472 and AT-483 and three testers viz., GT-2, GT-3 and GT-6 exhibited good general combining ability effect for seed yield per plant. The cross combination, AT-471 x GT-2 showed significant and positive sca effect for seed yield per plant and involved average x good combining parents. It was followed by AT-464 x GT-4 and AT-472 x GT-3 which involved either good x good or poor x poor combining parents. These crosses have been identified as best hybrids for improving seed yield per plant.

Combining ability analysis in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) over environments

The purpose of the study was to analyze combining ability in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for yield and its contributing traits over environments. Ten genetically diverse parents were crossed in half diallel fashion excluding reciprocals and the trial was arranged in a Randomized Block Design with three replications during rabi 2016-17 at research farm, Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), Durgapura, Jaipur. The outcomes from current study demonstrated significance of GCA and SCA for all the characters indicated the importance of both type of gene action. The GCA/SCA variance ratio indicated the preponderance of non-additive gene action except Number of tillers per plant for F1 generation in very late sown environment which showed preponderance of additive gene action. An overall evaluation of GCA effects and per se performance over the environments showed that the parent PBW 343, Raj 4079 and Raj 4083 in all three environments; PBW 590 in normal sowing and late sowing environment emerged as good general combiners while the cross Raj 4079 × Raj 4083 in all the three environments emerged as good specific cross combinations for grain yield.

Combining ability for the improvement of vegetable soybean

AbstractOne use of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] as food is as a vegetable, also known as edamame, in which the green pods with seeds fully developed are harvested, cooked briefly, and consumed. Few efforts have been devoted to developing new soybean cultivars with high agronomic performance and characteristics suitable for human consumption. In the present research, crosses between six soybean lines were performed in a diallel scheme without reciprocals to determine the combining ability and the type of gene action that controls the inheritance of development and yield component traits for edamame production. The results showed the existence of variability among the evaluated genotypes and indicated that the progenies presented superior performance in comparison to the parental lines for important traits. The cultivar BRS267 and the inbred line USP‐13‐19‐007 had consistently high estimates of general combining ability for pod and seed size, indicating their potential as parents in breeding for edamame. Most progenies had positive specific combining ability for pod and seed size, showing that generating novel genotypic combinations through new crossings is a promising strategy for improvement. Additive effects played a major role in the inheritance for maturity traits and for pod size, seed size, and yield; both additive and non‐additive effects were important. The magnitude and significance of the correlations indicated that it is possible to improve vegetable soybean traits without affecting grain yield.

Estimation of variability, heritability, genetic advance and assessment of frequency distribution for morphological traits in intercross population of maize

Genetic variability analysis is an essential criterion in the selection of crops for improvement programmes and components like Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation, Genotypic Coefficient of Variation, heritability and Genetic Advance as percent of Mean are useful for the exploitation of variability. Skewness and kurtosis indicate the type of gene action and the number of genes governing the trait and selection can be done based on these values. In the present study, variability, heritability, genetic advance, skewness and kurtosis were assessed for the intercross (IC2) population of (UMI1200×CE477) × (UMI1200×VQL1). Fourteen biometrical traits were recorded and the mean values were used for further analysis. Higher PCV values were obtained compared to their respective GCV values for all the traits of the population. Cob length (83.28% and 2.09%) showed the highest heritability and genetic advance suggesting higher genetic gain, which can be improved with simple selection methods and hence, showing additive gene action. Single plant yield showed higher heritability (77.29%) with low genetic advance (0.80%) and hence, requires appropriate selection methods to improve the genetic gain. With the exception of days to tasseling, all the traits showed platykurtic distribution suggesting that the large number of genes are involved in governing the traits. Days to silking, tassel length, the number of tassel branches, leaf length, leaf breadth, cob length, the number of kernels per row, cob weight, 100 kernel weight and single plant yield showed positive skewness suggesting dominant based complementary epistasis and hence, rapid genetic gain can be obtained by intense selection. Days to tasseling, plant height, ear height and the number of kernel rows per cob negative skewness showing duplicate gene action and hence, the rapid genetic gain can be obtained by mild selection.