Estimation of genetic variability parameters for yield and its components in bread wheat (Triticumaestivum L. em. Thell) genotypes

Abstract

Ten diverse bread wheat genotypes namely, QLD 39, KAUZ/ALTAR84/3/MILAN/KAUZ/4/HUITES, UP 2762, KFA/2*KACHU, RAJ 4419, PBW 729, WH 1187, HD 2967, DBW 50 and NIAW 1594 were crossed in half diallel fashion and 45 F1’s excluding reciprocals with their parents and checks were evaluated for genetic variability parameters including range, genotypic (GCV), phenotypic (PCV), environmental coefficient of variation (ECV), genetic advance, genetic advance % mean and heritability. The genotypes studied showed significant differences for all the traits. The estimates of PCV and GCV were high and recorded for grain yield/plant and biological yield/plant. This indicated that selection was effective for the improvement of these traits as the variability between genotypes for these traits was highly heritable. Greater effects of environment was predicted for number of productive tillers per plant owing to high estimates of both PCV and ECV. High estimates of heritability were observed for thousand grain weight, biological yield/plant and grain yield/plant. Grain yield/plant, biological yield/plant, number of grains/spike and number of productive tillers/plant showed high values of genetic advance % mean. The traits viz., grain yield/plant and biological yield/plant showed high estimates of genetic advance and heritability suggesting the predominance of additive gene effects in governing these traits. These traits can therefore be improved by means of direct selection.