Green Global
Foundation   Journal
...an emerging window for scientific research and publication across the globe

ESTIMATES OF VARIABILITY AND HERITABILITY IN LINSEED GERMPLASM (Pages : 8 - 16)

Keeping in view the lack of information on genetic variability in the Ethiopian linseed germplasm and need to study variability, heritability and genetic advance in this crop, the present investigation was undertaken on 81 geographically diverse Ethiopian accessions of linseed. These accessions were evaluated at the Agricultural Research Center, Sinana, and on farmers’ field at Robe in the highlands of bale, Ethiopia during 2001-2002 cropping season. The accessions differed significantly for all the traits, under study at both locations. However, the genotypic differences were non-significant for number of primary branches, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsules, seed yield per plant, biomass and percent oil content in the combined analysis over locations. Estimates of genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variability at the two locations indicated significant variability for most of the traits under study. At Sinana, heritability estimates were high for most of the traits. Whereas moderate estimates of heritability were observed for plant height, percent oil content and biomass. At Robe, heritability estimates were high for seed yield per plant, days to flowering, number of secondary branches, seed yield per plot, harvest index, number of primary branches, number of capsules per plant, thousand seed weight, days to maturity, tillers per plants and number of seeds per capsule. These characters, therefore, may respond effectively to phenotypic selection. Download