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DETERMINING THE HERITABILITY AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.)

MUHAMMAD ARSHAD, AHMAD BAKHSH, M. BASHIR AND A. M. HAQQANI

Abstract: Heritability and relationship of quantitative traits was studied in 36 genotypes of chickpea. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among genotypes for primary branches, secondary branches, plant height, pods per plant, biological and grain yield. The high heritability associated with high genetic advance was recorded for plant height. Moderate heritability associated with high genetic advance was observed for biological yield whereas primary branches, secondary branches and grain yield had low heritability associated with low genetic advance. Number of pods per plant exhibited low heritability with high genetic advance. Low heritability percentage coupled with low and moderate genetic advance, observed for primary and secondary branches respectively, indicated that these traits were greatly influenced by environment. The genotypic association of primary branches with grain yield was negative. Their phenotypic correlation was however, positive and non-significant. The genotypic correlation of secondary branches with grain yield was positive. A positive and non-significant relationship between primary branches and pods per plant was obtained. The relationship between number of pods and biological yield was positive and highly significant; both of these traits had significant and positive correlation with grain yield. On the basis of these results it can be suggested that plant height, number of pods per plant and biological yield may be given more importance while making selection for higher yield potential in chickpea.

Pulses Program, Crop Sciences Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan.