Genetic variability studies in extra large and large seeded kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Abstract

Thirty kabuli chickpea genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant genotypic differences for all the nineteen characters with wide range of variability. Estimates of genotypic and phenotypic co-efficients of variation were high for number of pods per plant and number of seeds per plant. High heritability accompanied with high genetic advance was shown by days to 50% flowering, plant height, the number of pods per plant, the number of seeds per plant, 100 grain volume, cooking time for soaked seeds, 100 seed weight, shoot biomass per plant, harvest index and seed yield per plant which indicated that the heritability is due to additive gene effects and selection of plants can be done directly on the basis of phenotypic expression of these characters.

Keywords

• genetic variability
• chickpea
• heritability