CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND GENETIC VARIABILITY ANALYSIS IN FIELD PEA GENOTYPES (PISUM SATIVUM L.)

Rohit Indoriya, Ravi Kant*, D. Dinesh varma, V. K. Choudhary, Ram Kumar Choudhary, Hemant Kumar and Madhuri Arya

ABSTRACT

The present research program was conducted with thirty-two field pea varieties obtained from AICRP MULLaRP and sown in the research farm, TCA, Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar during the Rabi season of 2020-21. The material was assessed using RBD (Randomized Block Design) with four replications. Twelve traits were selected for the study viz., plant height (PH), days to 50 % flowering (DFF), number of primary branches per plant (PBPP), number of secondary branches per plant (SBPP), pods per plant (PPP), grains per pod (GPP), pod length (PL), 100 seeds weight (HSW), harvest index (HI), days to maturity (DM), growing degree days (GDD) and yield per plant (YPP). ANOVA exhibited significant Mean Sum of Square (MSS) values due to genotype for all traits, which is an indicative of the presence of ample amount of variability in field pea genotypes used for the study. The Phenotypic Coefficient of Variance (PCV) values were slightly greater than the Genotypic coefficient of Variance (GCV) values which was attributed for the meager effect of environment on the morphological appearance of the traits. In the study, high heritability coupled high genetic advance was observed for number of pods per plant, hundred seeds weight (gm), number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, harvest index, plant height and yield per plant, which indicated the preponderance of additive gene action. Therefore, response to early selection may be effective in improving these traits. Based on correlation and path analysis, number of pods per plant, harvest index, number of primary branches per plant and number of secondary branches per plant exhibited positive and significant correlation with yield per plant having their positive direct effect suggesting that during selection these traits may be considered as prime trait to improve yield of field pea. Based on diversity using Tocher's method, the thirty two genotypes were grouped into six different clusters. The inter-cluster distances were recorded higher than the intra-cluster distances further indicating a considerable amount of diversity in the genotypes involved. Highest inter-cluster distance was found between cluster I and VI. Among all the characters studied, plant height contributed maximum to the diversity. Further, genotypes HUPT 1810, TRCP 8 (cluster VI) and Pant P 449 (Cluster I) were selected as superior genotypes based on high inter cluster distance alongside mean performance for most of yield attributing traits suggesting that these genotypes may be used in crossing program to obtain heterotic recombinants as well as transgressive segregants.

Keywords: Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) Genetic advance, Genetic variability, Heritability, Tocher's method.