Evaluation of growth performance of improved genotypes of Malabar Neem ( Melia dubia ) in low hills of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate one year growth performance of 17 improved genotypes released by Division of Genetics and Tree propagation, Forest research Institute, Dehradun under low hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. On-farm trial of 17 improved genotypes of Melia dubia was established under Randomized Block Design (RBD) at experimental farm College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. One year growth data was recorded and analyzed for height, diameter and genetic parameters. There was significant variation for diameter and height growth as well as genetic parameters among evaluated genotypes. High values for heritability and genetic advance were recorded for diameter and height growth in all genotypes which indicates good scope of early selection for these growth traits. Among the evaluated genotypes 241, 231 and 238 recorded highest values for diameter and height growth best in terms of evaluated traits and these genotypes need further multilocational field trials for further site specific evaluation of growth parameters under varied agro-climatic conditions of low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh.