One hundred twenty field pea (Pisum sativum L. var. arvense) genotypes were evaluated with four check varieties viz., Ambika, Rachna, HFP 8909 and HUDP 15 to assess the genetic variability, association of different yield traits and direct & indirect effects of these traits on seed yield. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences among all the genotypes for majority of the traits except number of primary branches per plant. The genotypes showed moderate to high level of genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV). The magnitudes of phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) for all the characters were slightly higher than their corresponding genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV), indicated very less environmental influence on the expression of the characters. Higher estimate of GCV (30.414) was recorded for number of seeds per pod followed by seed yield per plant (28.874). Correlation analysis indicated that seed yield per plant exhibited highly significant and positive correlation with harvest index, seeds per pod, pod length and 100-seed weight. Path analysis indicated that the highest positive and direct effect on seed yield per plant was exerted by harvest index and seeds per pod. Highly positive indirect effect on seed yield per plant was exerted by harvest index via seeds per pod, pod length and biological yield per plant. The characters identified above as important direct and indirect yield components can be used in formulation of selection strategy in field pea for selection of high yielding genotypes.

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The experiment on twenty three genotypes including three check varieties (GA 2, BGA 2 and RMA 7) of amaranthus (Amaranthus paniculatus L.) was conducted to work out the genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation, path coefficient and genetic divergence effects of their various attributes on seed yield. The analysis of variance revealed that mean squares due to treatments were highly significant for all characters except seed volume weight (g/10ml). The magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation for all the characters. The high estimates (>20%) of phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficients of variations were found in case of harvest index, biological yield/plant and low estimates (<10%) were observed for protein content and seed volume weight. Correlation analysis indicated that seed yield per plant had high and positive association with inflorescence length, plant height and biological yield per plant, while negative association were found for days to 50% flowering. Path analysis identified biological yield per plant and harvest index as important components having high order of direct and positive effect. Higher indirect and positive contributions on seed yield per plant were made by biological yield per plant via days to maturity followed by harvest index via protein content, inflorescence length via plant height. The characters identified above as important direct and indirect yield components merit due consideration in formulating selection strategy in amaranthus for selecting high yielding genotypes. The estimates of heritability in broad sense (> 75%) were high for plant height, biological yield per plant, harvest index, days to maturity and inflorescence length. The high estimates of genetic advance in percent of mean (>20%) were obtained for harvest index, biological yield per plant, plant height, number of branches per plant and inflorescence length. The contribution of ten characters towards divergence showed the highest contribution by plant height followed by biological yield per plant. High heritability and genetic advance indicate that the additive nature of gene action and reliability of those characters for selection and emerged as ideal traits for improvement through selection.

Background: Salt affected areas have increased day by day because of excessive use of irrigation water with improper drainage coupled with the poor quality of irrigation water. The assessment of genetic divergence existing in the germplasm collections is very important for success of hybridization programme leading to development of high yielding varieties. Methods: The experiment on 113 genotypes (aromatic and non-aromatic rice) including three checks viz., Sarjoo 52, FL 478 and CSR 10 (salt tolerant ) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was conducted to work out the genetic divergence. Result: The 113 genotypes were grouped in to eleven different non-overlapping clusters. Cluster II, having 20 genotypes, emerged with highest number of entries. The highest intra-cluster distance was found for cluster X. The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster VII and XI. The highest cluster mean for grain yield per plant was observed in cluster III. Presence of substantial genetic diversity among the germplasm lines screened in the present study indicating that this material may serve as good source for selecting the diverse parents for further hybridization program aimed at isolating desirable segregants for grain yield and other important characters.

Background: Grain yield in maize and most of the crops is a complex character so knowledge of character association and direct and indirect effect of different characters on yield is crucial for making efficient selection strategy to develop the inbred and/or hybrids having desirable combination of the characters. Methods: The experiment was conducted using 77 genotypes in randomized block design at Student Instructional Farm CS Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (UP) India. Data on 17 different characters were collected and analysized by standard procedure to identify the characters having significant desirable relationship and direct or indirect effects on grain yield. Result: The genotypes that were studied showed highly significant variability for all the characters, indicating the great opportunity of selection. Greater genotypic correlation coefficients than phenotypic correlation coefficients for most of the characters showed true relationship. So the selection of elite genotypes on the basis of such characters would be fruitful. Cob weight, kernels per row, kernels per cob and shelling percentage showed highly significant positive relationship with grain yield per plant. Seed vigour index, cobs per plant, cob weight and kernels per row have had high direct positive impact on grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level. Therefore, the above mentioned characters may be utilized for making efficient selection strategy to select the elite genotypes.