Genetic Variability Studies in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.)

Author: Dharnishkumar M., Suthamathi P., Gnanamalar R.P., Renuka R., Sathiya K.,Vaithiyalingan M. and Hemalatha G.

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Abstract

Foxtail millet is being an underutilized crop which has more nutritional benefits and has more genetic resources. It is essential to utilize that resources for improving desirable traits majorly yield components. Seventy germplasm accessions along with two check varieties were evaluated at the Centre of Excellence in Millets, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Athiyandal, Tiruvannamalai during rabi, 2023. Variability, heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean was estimated for analyzing variations and for better selection of elite germplasm accessions. For this purpose, observations were recorded for eleven biometrical traits including days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of productive tillers, flag leaf length(cm), flag leaf width (cm), panicle length (cm), bristle length (cm), 1000 grain weight (g), single plant grain yield (g) and single plant stover weight (g). In this investigation, phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was slightly more than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) showed that relatively less influence of environmental impacts on the traits. Both, PCV and GCV were observed highest in the single plant stover weight, and lowest in the traits days to 50% flowering and days to maturity for PCV and GCV respectively. Considering heritability in relation with genetic advance as per cent of mean, it was noted that high heritability with high genetic advance was recorded for the traits viz., plant height, number of productive tillers, panicle length, bristle length, 1000 grain weight, single plant grain yield and single plant stover weight. This shows that, these traits are highly governed by additive gene action and the environmental effects would be very low and selection for these traits may be rewarding. Low heritability with medium genetic advance has been observed in the trait flag leaf width depicts relatively high influence of environment and presence of non-additive gene action.

Keywords

Foxtail millet, variability, heritability, genetic advance, PCV and GCV

Conclusion

The evaluation and characterization of foxtail millet germplasm accessions provides the wide range of information on variations in which the germplasm lines taken, which plays a vital role in improving the crop for its desirable yield and yield related traits. In India, a wide range of foxtail millet genetic resources available as such. The utilization of these resources is very mandatory to uncover the nutritional benefits of millets and also by improving these resources in accordance with its yield, will be more helpful for farmers to cultivate profitably. So, in view of unearthing the hidden treasure of desirable variations in a boundless germplasm accessions, a small effort has been taken for the evaluation of germplasm accessions along with some check varieties to expose its contributable variations among the different quantitative traits. Thus, in the present study, the PCV and GCV are very slightly differed showing very low environmental effects influencing the traits. In this study, it can be concluded that single plant stover weight has relatively high heritability (93.60 %) with high genetic advance (79.58 %), so it is governed by additive gene action and hence the selection can be done for these traits as it is inherited genetically and also the traits plant height, number of productive tillers, panicle length, bristle length, 1000 grain weight and single plant grain yield have showed the same results. The trait flag leaf width has low heritability among the traits taken for the study with a percentage of 28.16% with moderate genetic advance (11.12 %). Low genetic advance was recorded for the trait days to maturity with magnitude of 4.85%. This shows that the trait is highly influenced by environments and genetic effects are less in that trait. Medium heritability was observed for the trait days to maturity (30.36 %) and can be interpreted as it may involve both additive and non-additive gene action.

References

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How to cite this article

Dharnishkumar M., Suthamathi P., Gnanamalar R.P., Renuka R., Sathiya K.,Vaithiyalingan M. and Hemalatha G. (2023). Genetic Variability Studies in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 212-216.