M. B. Parmar and K. B. Kathiria
Abstract
Six generations, i.e. P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2 of the crosses T 15-15 Ã BSMR 853, AVPP 1 Ã LRG 41, AGT 2 Ã ICP 8863 and GT 101 Ã ICPL 84060 were investigated during kharif 2012-13 in pigeonpea. The experiment was conducted with a purpose to estimate heritability in narrow sense and genetic advance as per cent of mean among the four cross families. High estimates of both narrow sense heritability and expected genetic advance for clusters per plant (AVPP 1 x LRG 41), pod length (GT 101 x ICPL 84060 and AGT 2 x ICP 8863) suggested preponderance of additive gene effect. High heritability with moderate genetic advance indicated the presence of additive gene action for the traits days to 50 per cent flowering (AGT 2 x ICP 8863), days to maturity (AVPP 1 x LRG 41) and 100 seed weight (AVPP 1 x LRG 41). For yield contributing characters like days to 50 per cent flowering (AVPP 1 x LRG 41) and days to maturity (T 15-15 x BSMR 853) importance of both additive and non-additive components of gene effect were reflected through high heritability estimates coupled with low values of expected genetic advance. Early selection was not effective in some crosses as the estimates of heritability and genetic advance were negative and non additive gene action was important for the traits like days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, clusters per plant, pods per cluster, pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, harvest index and seed yield per plant.