Evaluation of Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and Components of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes grown under Saline and non - Saline Conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during three consecutive winter seasons of the years 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 at Merowe Research Station Farm, Northern State, Sudan to estimate the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance of grain yield and yield contributing traits in 16 bread wheat genotypes grown under saline and non – saline field conditions. The genotypes were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. In both sites, the analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for all the traits studied. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), which indicates a slight effect of environment on the expression of the characters studied. In both sites, high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were recorded for number of spikes per m2, plant height and number of grains per spike. In both sites, heritability exhibited wide range of variation. At non – saline site, the high heritability in broad sense was estimated for number of days to 50% heading (87.03), number of days to 90% maturity (85.13), plant height (83.79), 1000 – grain weight (62.78) and number of spikes per m2 (58.87). On the other hand, at saline site high heritability estimates were recorded for number of days to 90% maturity (85.16) followed by number of days to 50% heading (84.29) and plant height (53.11). These traits also indicated high genetic advance except the plant height. In both sites, high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of means were recorded for number of days to 50% heading, number of days to 90% maturity and plant height that indicated presence of additive gene action in the inheritance of these traits.