Exploiting Indigenous Collections for efficient Utilization of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes for Crop Improvement based on Agro-Morphological Traits

Author: Dilip Panwar, Anshuman Singh and Pramod Kumar Sharma

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Abstract

Agro-morphological traits are stable across various biotic and abiotic stresses owing to oligogenic nature. Hence, for efficient identification and purification at varietal or genotypic level and even in seed production these traits may serve as morphological markers. During a period of Rabi 2020-21 a total of 44 elite chickpea genotypes were experimented in randomized block design (RBD) with three replicates for assessing the genetic variability among 16 agro-morphological traits. ANOVA revealed that seed yield per plant and its contributing traits had significant differences among all the genotypes. Significant differences were observed for days to 50% flowering (days) (Range: 75 to 93; Mean: 82), Seed yield per plant (g/plant) (Range: 4.6 to 20.36; Mean: 10.19), 100 seed weight (g) (Range: 13.23 to 36.06; Mean: 22.14. High heritability with high genetic advance observed for trait 100 seed weight followed by number of secondary branches per plant, biological yield per plant and seed yield per plant. These traits may serve as markers for varietal selection to enhance seed yield of chickpea. Similarly, these putative characters could be recommended for further breeding and selection of genetic materials for developing suitable chickpea genotypes. Correlation analysis exhibited that seed yield per plant had strong positive and significant association with biological yield per plant followed by number of secondary branches per plant and 100 seed weight. Path analysis indicated that biological yield per plant followed by days to 50% flowering, number of secondary branches and 100 seed weight had positive direct effect on seed yield. Genotypic variation found in germplasm collection can be exploited through efficient selection and hybridization among identified genotypes for future crop improvement program of chickpea.

Keywords

ANOVA, Chickpea, heritability, Correlation, Path analysis

Conclusion

In present study genetic variability was observed to exploit the more variable agro- morphological trait which might be useful in making the superior genotypes against the biotic and abiotic stresses in the hybridization programme. The chickpea breeding lines used in the study showed vast amount of genetic variability among morphologicaltraits. In view of these traits viz; seed size, seed testa texture, seed shape and plant height had great frequency of variability in phenotypic appearance among genotypes. Similarly, in agronomic traits viz; number of pods per plant, number of seed per pod, seed yield per plant and pod length were showed more genetic variability. In a view to achieve advancement in the seed yield attention should be given on those traits which are directly or indirectly govern the yield component. For that, to find out the relationship among the yield and yield contributing traits correlation and path analysis were done. In results, traits like biological yield per plant, number of secondary branches per plant and 100 seed weight recorded strong positive correlation as well as high positive direct effects with seed yield per plant. Hence, these traits might be useful as selectable marker in the yield improvement of the chickpea genotypes.

References

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How to cite this article

Dilip Panwar, Anshuman Singh and Pramod Kumar Sharma (2023). Exploiting Indigenous Collections for efficient Utilization of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes for Crop Improvement based on Agro-Morphological Traits. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 778-785.