Genotypic variability and stability analysis in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L., Gaertn.)
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Date
2020-12
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Eleusine coracana L. Garten commonly known as finger millet also called Ragi. It is an annual herbaceous and self-pollinated crop. It appears as an indispensable crop to Indian agriculture as a major source of grain and straw. Finger millet is one of the most nutritious cereal crops and shows a lot of medicinal importance. It exhibits wide adaptability to diverse environmental and cultural conditions. The physiological production capacity (i.e, yield) of a plant has always been considered as one of the important topic in plant breeding but will be more concerned about the stability in yield performance by the continued variation in climatic conditions.
In the present study “genotypic variability and stability analysis in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Garten)” at three locations with an object to evaluate variability, inter character association of component trait with yield and to identify high yielding finger millet genotypes stable in performance across the environments. In this investigation genotypic and phenotypic variability, genetic parameters, correlations coefficient, path coefficient and stability analysis were evaluated in a set of 11 finger millet genotypes over three different environments viz. low altitude(CRC farm Pantnagar), mid and high altitude (Paharpani, Nainital). The experiment was led out in randomized block design with replications at each location The entries considered for the experiment were PFM-1(check), PFM-2, PFM-3, PFM-4, PFM-5, PFM-6, PFM-7, PFM-8, PFM-9(check), PFM-10 and PFM-11. The experiment was conducted during June 2019.Observation was recorded on 15 characters viz. Days to 50% flowering, Plant height, The number of leaves per plant, Leaf length, Leaf breadth, Leaf area, Number of productive tillers, Days to harvest, Number of head, Average weight of the head, Number of fingers, Number of spike per finger, Number of seed per spike, Number of seed per cm², Grain yield.
Experimental result revealed that significant genotypic difference appeared for days to 50% flowering, plant height, days to harvest, number of head, average head weight, spike per finger seeds per spike, seed per cm square and grain yield in all three locations. Predominance role of additive gene effect was observed for days to harvest, number of head per plot and grain yield. Non additive gene effects were registered for days to 50% flowering and plant height. Correlation studies over three environment showed that selection of days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of productive tiller, days to harvest, number of heads, average weight of heads, number of spike per finger, number of seeds per spike and seed volume(number of seeds per cm² area) exerted greater influence on genotypic improvement of grain yield among finger millet crops. A perusal of path coefficient analysis over three environment revealed that average weight of the heads emerged as major contributing traits for grain yield and consideration of 15 characters could explain the variability of grain yield among finger finger millet genotype satisfactorily. Stability parameter revealed that the performance of PFM-4 was most suitable in all three location than other genotypes as indicated by non significant deviation from regression( S2di),regression coefficient(bi) values, and average mean performance.