Genetic variability and trait association studies in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken to study the variability and trait association of eighteen quantitative traits namely plant height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, length of primary mother axis, silique on primary branches, silique on secondary branches, silique on primary mother axis, silique length, number of seeds/silique, biological yield/plant, harvest index, test weight, seed yield/plant, days to first flower open, days to 50% flowering, vegetative phase duration, post-anthesis phase duration and physiological maturity in 20 Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) germplasm lines. The experiment material was evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance estimates of all the characters were found highly significant. Coefficient of variation for GCV and PCV were found high for the following traits i.e. seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant, test weight, harvest index and siliqua primary branches, secondary branches as well as on primary mother axis. Test weight, biological yield per plant, seed yield per plant and silique on primary mother axis exhibited higher heritability and higher genetic advance. Correlation study revealed that plant height, length of primary mother axis, number of primary branches as well as secondary branches, biological yield/plant and silliqua on primary branches, secondary branches as well as onmain raceme and physiological maturity exerted high positive significant genotypic correlation with seed yield per plant. Siliqua length, days to first flower open, vegetative phase duration, post-anthesis phase duration and test weight were found negatively correlated with seed yield per plant.