Estimates of genetic parameters and path analysis in blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper).

ABSTACT: These studies were conducted to determine the genetic parameters and character association in elite lines of urdbean. Genetic parameters like genotypic and phenotypic variance, coefficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance, correlation coefficients and path coefficients were estimated. Significant variation was noted for all the traits. High heritability estimates were observed for all the traits except days to 50% flowering. In general phenotypic coefficient of variability was greater than their corresponding genotypic coefficient of variability. Higher estimates of heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean were observed for grain yield (97.0%, 79.93%), pods per plant (91.0%, 65.50% and plant height (78.0%, 31.74%) indicating that these characters are mainly controlled by additive genes and selection of such traits might be effective for the improvement of grain yield. Pods per plant, 100 seed weight, days to maturity and days to 50% flowering had positive direct effect on grain yield. Pods per plant and plant height had highly significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation with grain yield; hence these traits could be used for the improvement of grain yield resulting in the evolution of high yielding varieties of blackgram.