Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ASSOCIATION AND GENETIC ASSESSMENT FOR YIELD AND RELATED TRAITS OF LINSEED (LINUM USITATISSIMUM L.) GENOTYPES IN NORTH WEST HIMALAYAS

Nimit Kumar, Satish Paul, Amaninder Deep Singh, Ranjana Patial, Sonu Kumar, Ravindar Kumar, Amit Kumar and Ashwani Kumar

Abstract

Seventeen linseed genotypes were subjected to study association and genetic analysis at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Crop Improvement, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, during rabi 2014-2015. The genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficient obtained between different traits was similar in direction, while in magnitude, genotypic correlation was higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlations. Seed yield per plant had maximum significant and positive genotypic and phenotypic association with seeds per capsule followed by harvest index and biological yield per plant, So direct selection of plants based on these three traits, i.e., seeds per capsule, harvest index and biological yield per plant would be effective to increase seed yield. Harvest index and biological yield per plant contributed indirectly through seeds per capsules on seed yield per plant. principal component analysis (PCA) showed that seed yield per plant, seeds per capsule, primary branches per plant and 1000 seed weight had the most contributions, interpreting almost all the variation of traits. The cluster analysis revealed that the genotypes were grouped into four clusters, showing inter-cluster divergence, which is significant for future hybridization programme for obtaining desirable transgressive segregants.