Selection indices in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Selection indices were created for 50 genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using the discriminant-function technique. Thirty-one selection indices were constructed in all possible combinations for the grain yield per plant and four yield contributing characters viz., number of grains per main spike, grain weight per main spike, biological yield per plant and harvest index. Among all 31 selection indices, the index is based on five characters viz., grain yield per plant, number of grains per main spike, grain weight per main spike, biological yield per plant and harvest index possessed the highest genetic gain and relative efficiency (26.99 and 807.60%) followed by and index based on four characters grain yield per plant, number of grains per main spike, biological yield per plant and harvest index that possessed higher genetic advance and relative efficiency (26.29 and 786.55%). Relative efficiency per character was highest for number of grains per main spike (433.25%) followed by two component characters number of grains per main spike and biological yield per plant (303.58%).The result thus indicated that the maximum weightage should be given to these functions while making selection for isolating high yielding genotypes in wheat.