INHERITANCE OF FODDER AND YIELD TRAITS IN OAT (Avena sativa L.)

Abstract

Combining ability analysis for various fodder traits was performed in oat (Avena sativa L.) through Line x Tester analysis during Rabi 2008 involving nine lines, four testers and their thirty-six F1 hybrids laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Observations were recorded for eleven characters. The analysis of variance for treatment, parent and crosses were highly significant for all the characters indicating presence of considerable variability. Percentages of phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation were of dissimilar magnitude for all the traits, except for leaf: stem ratio indicating least effect of environmental factors in their expression. The estimate of heritability in broad sense (h2b) was higher ( > 75%) for all the characters except panicle length. The heritability in narrow sense (h2n) was low ( < 10%) for all the characters indicating preponderance of non-additive gene action and suggesting that heterosis breeding may be useful in such a case. Among male parents, Kent was the best general combiner for maximum characters, except for days to 50% flowering, leaf: stem ratio, 1000 grain weight and harvest index. Among female parental lines, NDO-14 was the best general combiner for six characters. Hybrids viz., NDO-14 x UPO-212, NDO-22 x JHO-851, NDO-22 x UPO-212, NDO-42 x UPO-212, NDO-59 x JHO-851, NDO-59 x UPO-212 and LC-4 x UPO-212 exhibited significant heterobeltiosis for yield and component traits