Genetic Variability Analysis and Correlation Studies of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes

Abstract

In the present investigation, fifty four bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes were evaluated for estimation of the genetic variability and its potential of each genotype under normal spring condition in Kabul Afghanistan in two years consequently (2020 and 2021). Analysis of variance revealed that genotypes possess significant genetic variability among all traits. For all the studied traits, mean squares showed the presence of significant variation among the genotypes. Higher values of PCV and GCV indicated that there was high variability exiting among the genotypes. The higher values of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were recorded for grain yield (GCV = 11.93% and PCV = 16.15%) followed by thousands grains (GCV=7.53% and PCV=8.15%). The highest heritability (0.94) was indicated in grain yield in the year 2021 followed by thousand grains (0.85) whereas the plant height (0.70) observed in (2020). The values of genetic advance were recorded low to moderate for all parameters. A highly significant positive correlation was observed among yield and harvest index and showed the significant difference for others except number of effective tiller per m2, on contrary the negative non-significant correlation was observed for effective tiller per m2 (-0.07). Grain yield with biological yield revealed a non-significant correlation (0.04), similarly days to heading revealed a nonsignificant negative correlation with grain yield (-0.05) respectively. From the study suggested that all the traits showing significant correlation with grain yield needs better attention for increasing yield in future wheat breeding programs.