Generation mean analysis for important morpho-physiological traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation consisted of six genetic populations i.e. P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 of six crosses which were evaluated during the rabi, 2015-16 season. The six populations (parents, F1, backcrosses and F2) of the two wheat crosses, (NIAW-34 X NIAW-343 and NIAW-917 X NIAW-2030) were grown under restricted irrigation at Post Graduate Institute Farm, Department of Botany, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (MS). Mean performance of Parents, f1’s, f2’s, BC1 and BC2 for different morphological and physiological traits in wheat recorded significant differences among both the crosses. Analysis of variance showed significant variability for all the traits in both crosses. All the three individual scaling tests for viz., A, B and C were significant for four traits viz., Number of tillers per plant, Number of grains per spike, grain yield per plant and Chlorophyll stability index (CSI) in both the crosses indicating the inadequacy of additive-dominance model to explain inheritance. Additive as well as Dominant genetic effects were highly significant in both the crosses, for the Days for 50% flowering, Days to maturity, Number of tillers per plant, Number of grains per spike, grain yield per plant, Chlorophyll stability index (CSI) and Membrane injury index. The epistatic gene interactions (i, j and l) for Chlorophyll stability index (CSI) was highly significant. Additive x additive, additive x dominance and dominance x dominance was observed in both the crosses. Duplicate type of epistasis was observed in both the crosses for days to maturity, plant height, grain yield per plant, chlorophyll stability index (CSI) and membrane injury index.