HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY, HARAMAYA Genetic Variability and Association among Seed Yield and Yield Related Traits in Desi Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes

Evaluation of genotypes for the existence of variations and generation of genetic information is the key step in plant breeding to develop varieties for the targeted area of production. Twenty desi chickpea genotypes were tested in randomized complete block design with three replications. The objectives of the study were to estimate the extent of genotypic and phenotypic variability, estimate the genotypic and phenotypic associations among characters and to estimate the direct and indirect contribution of traits on seed yield. Data were collected for eleven traits and subjected to analysis of variance. There were significant differences among genotypes for eleven quantitative traits including grain yield which ranged from 1844.3 kg/ha (DZ-2012-CK-0029) to 3742.3kg/ha (DZ-2012-CK-0034) with mean value of 2804.24kg/ha. Out of the total genotypes tested, 45% of them had yielded above the grand mean (2804.24kg/ha). The range for phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was from 3.38% to 21.99%, while the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) ranged from 1.6% to 20.28%. Heritability in broad sense was ranged from 51.95(number of secondary branches per plant) to 95.00% (number of primary branches per plant). Genetic advance as percent of mean ranged from 3.36 % to 40.79. In this study, plant height, number of primary branches per plant and seeds per plant had higher heritability estimates coupled with higher genetic advance as percent of mean. GCV and PCV values had low magnitude of differences for plant height, primary branches per plant and number of seeds per plant. Hence, the traits are highly heritable indicating the influence of environment was less. Seed yield had positive and highly significant correlation coefficients with primary branches per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and seeds per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. The association between yield, and yield related characters through phenotypic and genotypic path coefficients revealed that number of pods per plant, seeds per pod and number of seeds per plant exerted moderate to high positive direct effect on seed yield. The 20 desi chickpea genotypes were grouped into eight distinct clusters. Clusters I, II and III consisted of 8(40%), 5(25%) and 6(30%) genotypes, respectively. In addition, Cluster IV has consisted one genotype. Generally, this study revealed the presence of variability among the tested genotypes and the possibility of increasing grain yield. Yet, this study was conducted for one season and at one location which needs to be tested in subsequent trials at different locations and seasons to develop high yielding varieties