Genetic Variability Studies for Yield and Yield Related Traits in Elite Finger Millet [Elucine coracana (L.) Gaerten] Germplasm

Abstract:

present study aims to study the existence of genetic variability and importance of some quantitative traits in the finger millet genotypes. The objectives were to assess the variability, heritability, and genetic advance for yield and thirteen yield component characters in the 55 elite finger millet genotypes. Highly significant mean sum of squares due to genotypes and wide range of variability were observed among the genotypes for all the characters studied. High genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was recorded for grain yield per plot (42.53), harvest index (31.12), grain yield per plant (29.42), biomass yield per plant (22.78), ears per plant (21.17) and effective tillers per plant (20.64) and high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was similarly recorded for grain yield per plot (42.55), harvest index (36.46), grain yield per plant (31.45), biomass yield per plant (23.85), ears per plant (22.98) and effective tillers per plant (23.08). High heritability coupled with high expected genetic advance as percent of mean was obtained for grain yield per plot (99.94, 87.60%), 1000 seed weight (99.87,36.72%), grain yield per plant (87.54, 56.71%), harvest index (86.50,59.62%),days to maturity (99.64,26.25%), days to 50% flowering (99.35, 35.89%), plant height (99.00,23.30%) ears per plant (84.84,40.17%) and leaf blast (94.88, 35.72%) indicating that the presence of more additive gene effects have ability for crop improvement and so these characters could be improved through selection. This study divulges that greater yield response could be obtained through direct selection scheme in finger millet genotypes.