Variability, heritability and genetic advances in F2 generation of 15 crosses involving bold-seeded genotypes in groundnut (arachis hypogaea l.).

ABSTRACT

Significant differences were observed among F2 population of fifteen single crosses and parents for all characters. Plant height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, pod yield/plant showed higher values of Genotypic Co-efficient of Variation (GCV) and Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV), heritability (broad sense) and Genetic Advance as per cent of Mean (GAM). The role of additive gene action seems to be significant in the inheritance of these traits. Thus phenotypic selection is early generations would help to make improvement in these characters. Number of mature pods and number of immature pods showed low to moderate values of GCV, PCV, heritability (broad sense) and GAM. The role of non-additive gene action seems to be significant in the inheritance of these traits. In these characters, early generation selection followed by biparental matings and selection in later generations would help to isolate lines with improvement in these traits. Shelling out-turn and sound mature kernel percentage were found to be governed by both additive and non-additive gene action.