Genetic variability studies in F2 and F3 segregating generations for yield and its components in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during 2015-16 and 2016-17 using the experimental material consisting of parents Meera, T-397 and Sekhar and backcross progenies of (Meera X T-397) X Meera and (Sekhar X T-3397) X Sekhar. For both the crosses, F2 and F3 populations were grown in the rabi 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively. An estimate of GCV and PCV for all characters studied revealed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than their corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). In F2 generation of cross (Meera X T-397) X Meera, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for yield per plant, primary branches per plant, capsules per plant and 1000-seed weight. In F3 generation, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for capsules per plant and yield per plant. In F2 generation of cross (Sekhar X T-397) X Sekhar, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for yield per plant, capsules per plant, primary branches per plant and 1000-seed weight whereas in F3 generation, only two characters, namely, yield per plant and capsules per plant showed high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean. The traits with high heritability and high genetic advance as percent of mean may be subjected to mass or progeny or family selection or any selection scheme, aimed at exploiting additive (fixable) genetic variance, a widely adapted genotype can be developed, possessing good quality and high productivity.