Evaluation and Identification of most Promising Genotypes for Varietal Development in Amaranthus (Amaranthus paniculatus L.)

Abstract

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.

Study on characters associations and path coefficient analysis for quantitative traits of amaranth genotypes from Ethiopia

“…On the other hand, LW, TISL, LL, and DF had negative direct effects at both phenotypic and genotypic levels indicating that direct selection based on these traits could not improve the GY in amaranth genotypes. The results were also in agreement with the findings of Shrivastav et al 39 , who reported that DF had a negative direct effect on GY in amaranth genotypes. The direct selection of LW, TISL, LL, and DF at both phenotypic and genotypic levels would decrease the GY; however, their indirect selection through mainly PHM may improve the GY in amaranth genotypes.…”

“…Days to maturity showed a positive and highly significant correlation with plant height. Similar results were reported by Shrivastav et al 39 . The time of flowering are important adaptive trait in grain amaranth 15 , 40 .…”

“…With the following variables BN, LL, TILL, LN, DF, and GSFR, the PHM demonstrated highly significant positive relationships. Similar results were reported by Shrivastav et al 39 , and inflorescence length and days to 50% flowering were positively and extremely significantly correlated with plant height, according to Yadav et al 45 . A positive and significant correlation with lateral inflorescence length, leaf length, leaf width, number of branches per plant, and days to maturity was obtained 46 .…”