GENETIC VARIABILITY STUDIES FOR FORAGE YIELD AND ASSOCIATED TRAITS IN MARVEL GRASS (DICHANTHIUM SPP.)

GENETIC VARIABILITY STUDIES FOR FORAGE YIELD AND ASSOCIATED TRAITS IN MARVEL GRASS (DICHANTHIUM SPP.)
V. R. GORE, P. P. SURANA AND G. C. SHINDE
Grass Breeding Scheme
Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Rahuri-413 722 (M. S.), India
*(e-mail : grass.mpkv@gmail.com)
(Received : 13 October 2016; Accepted : 20 December 2016)

SUMMARY

A total of 20 marvel grass genotypes were grown in randomized block design (RBD) with two replications at Grass Breeding Scheme, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, District Ahmednagar, Maharashtra during kharif season of 2015-16. Objectives of investigation were to study genetic variability, correlation and path analysis for 13 characters viz., days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height (cm), number of tillers/tussock, stem thickness (mm), number of internodes/tiller, internode length (cm), number of leaves/tiller, leaf length (cm), leaf breadth (mm), green fodder yield (g/tussock), leaf : stem ratio, dry matter (%) and crude protein (%). Treatment differences were found to be significant for all the characters studied. Characters like number of tillers/tussock, stem thickness L : S ratio and green fodder yield showed high GCV and PCV. The estimates of genotypic as well as phenotypic coefficients of variances were the higher for leaf : stem ratio, stem thickness (mm), green forage yield and number of tillers per tussock. Maximum heritability (b.s.) was observed for leaf : stem ratio (97.10%) and minimum for dry matter (61.90%). High estimates of heritability accompanied by high estimates of genetic advance as percentage of mean were observed for characters like number of tillers/tussock, stem thickness, L : S ratio, number of leaves/tiller, leaf length, leaf breadth, crude protein (%) and green forage yield indicating that these traits are predominately governed by additive gene action and selection for these characters will be effective. The characters like days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, stem thickness, number of internodes/tiller, number of leaves/tiller, leaf length and leaf breadth, showed significant positive genotypic correlations with green forage yield. Plant height and leaf breath exhibited high positive direct and indirect effect and significant positive genotypic correlation with green forage yield. The characters viz., number of internodes, stem thickness, leaf length and number of tillers/tussock also exhibited high indirect effects. Thus, emphasis should be given on these characters for green forage improvement in the present marvel grass.

Key words: Dichanthium, marvel grass, genetic variability, correlation, path coefficients, forage yield

FR 42(3) 172-175