JAYALAKSHMI, VBADABAGNI, VISHNU2019-01-052019-01-052017http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810089063D5566The present investigation entitled “Genetic studies for amenability to combine harvesting in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)” was carried out during rabi, 2016-17 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh, India to identify elite high yielding chickpea genotypes amenable to machine harvesting and also to study extent of genetic variability, genetic diversity and trait associations both under rainfed and irrigated situations. Thirty chickpea genotypes were evaluated in Randomized Block design with three replications each under rainfed and irrigated (two supplemental irrigations) conditions. The variability among the genotypes is highly significant for angle of primary branch, height of the first pod , days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, SPAD Chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR), number of pods per plant, shoot biomass per plant, seed yield , 100 seed weight, protein content of grain under rainfed and irrigated conditions except for harvest index under irrigated condition. Elite genotypes with high per se performance, under irrigated and rainfed conditions which are amenable to combine harvest are NBeG 780, NBeG 857, NBeG 47, NBeG 863 and BG 3061. Exclusively under rainfed condition DBGV 3104 and NBeG 865 are noteworthy. Study of genetic variability revealed that height of the first pod, days to 50 per cent flowering, number of primary branches per plant and number of secondary branches per plant under both rainfed and irrigated conditions and plant height under irrigated condition exhibited high to moderate variability, high heritability and high expected genetic gain under selection suggesting that the selection for these traits will be effective for obtaining superior yielding genotypes with amenability to mechanical harvesting. Genetic divergence studies clearly distinguished 30 genotypes into five clusters under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Promising genotypes along with high per se performance viz., NBeG 780, NBeG 857, NBeG 47, NBeG 863 and BG 3061 of cluster I in rainfed and cluster II in irrigated, GBM 2 of cluster II in rainfed and cluster I in xiv irrigated, ICCL 85213 and NBeG 865 of cluster III in rainfed, DBGV 3104 of cluster I under rainfed and GL 12021 of cluster V under both rainfed and irrigated are suggested to utilize in crossing programs to breed for high yield with amenability to combine harvesting. Correlation analysis revealed that number of secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, shoot biomass, harvest index and 100 seed weight exhibited positive and highly significant association with seed yield and also among themselves under rainfed as well as irrigated conditions. On the other hand, the association of height of first pod, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity were negative and significant with seed yield under both the conditions. Whereas, some deviation was observed in angle of the primary branches under irrigated condition and SCMR under rainfed condition where significant positive correlation was recorded. It is suggested that breeding for high yield should consider optimum crop growth period depending on moisture status of the soil. Major emphasis to be laid on shoot biomass and harvest index as evidenced from their high direct effects and indirect effects on seed yield with other correlated traits viz., number of secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant and 100 seed weight. Despite significant negative correlation with seed yield, phenological traits days to flowering and days to maturity also exhibited indirect negative effects by two important traits viz., shoot biomass and harvest index. Thus in chickpea growing areas of Andhra Pradesh which are characterized by shorter growing season and where rainfall is rarely received during crop growth period, short duration varieties which mature before terminal soil moisture stress should be developed. The inter se association between traits like days to flowering and maturity, shoot biomass, harvest index and seed yield should be considered carefully in breeding programmes to breed varieties with matching duration of crop growth for rainfed areas and also to areas where facilities for supplemental irrigation are available.en-USnullThesis