Genetic variability studies for yield and its component traits in selected clones of sugarcane

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the genetic parameters on 18 quantitative traits of 38 clones selected from clonal-I ratoon population derived from a cross Co 7204 x Co Pant 97222 and 7 commercial sugarcane genotypes. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the clones for all the characters studied, indicating the presence of considerable amount of variability in the genetic material. The clones SNK 13101, SNK13044, SNK13219, SNK13142, SNK 13049 SNK 13135 and SNK 13158 recorded significantly superior cane and sugar yield over best standard SNK 632 and both the parents. Hence, above clones can be advance to large scale yield trails and also utilized in the hybridization programmes to bring yield improvement in sugarcane. The high estimates of GCV, PCV, heritability (broad sense) and genetic advance as percent of mean were recorded for green top weight, green top yield, commercial cane sugar yield, brix yield and cane yield indicating that simple selection would be helpful for the improvement of these traits as these are governed by additive gene action whereas plant height, sucrose percent and commercial cane sugar percent recoded moderate heritability along with genetic advance suggesting that characters are governed by both additive and non-additive gene action.