Genetic analysis and bruchid resistance in ricebean Vigna umbellata thunb Ohwi and Ohashi

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out using 116 ricebean genotypes in order to characterize them morphologically, to study the extent of genetic variability, to know the relationship between single plant yield and its component traits and to assess the existence of genetic diversity among the ricebean genotypes. The genotypes were evaluated in Augmented design II during rabi, 2022-2023 at Department of Pulses, Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. newlineCharacterization of ricebean genotypes by means of 32 morphological traits, revealed that variations was not observed for most of the traits except for six traits viz., growth habit, twining tendency, terminal leaflet shape, stem pubescence, seed coat colour and seed coat pattern. Mean performance of 116 ricebean genotypes for the nine biometrical traits established that the following ricebean genotypes viz., IC 469191, IC 969187, IC 341969, IC 49182 and IC 342374 surpassed the other genotypes with relatively higher mean values for single plant yield (15.36 g) and its component traits namely number of clusters per plant (gt 18), number of pods per plant (70.25), pod length (7.62 cm) and number of seeds per pod (7.92). newlineGenetic variability studies for the nine biometrical traits explained that the traits viz., number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant and single plant yield were recorded newlinewith high PCV and high GCV. Number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of primary branches per plant, hundred seed weight and single plant yield recorded high heritability combined with high genetic advance as per cent of mean. Genetic relationship studies showed that the following traits viz., number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant, pod length, number of seeds per pod, plant height, number of primary branches per plant and hundred seed weight displayed significant positive correlation with single plant yield. newline