Genetic analysis of pod yield and confectionery traits in crosses involving bold seeded varieties of groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L.)

Genetic analysis of four yield components and four confectionery traits was carried out in two inter subspecific crosses involving two bold seeded Virginia varieties, namely M 522 and M 13; and two Spanish genotypes of groundnut, Arachis hypogaea L. Six basic generations viz., P1, P2, F1, B1, B2 and F2 of two crosses, namely M 522 x SGL 2003 (C1) and M 13 x SGL 2018 (C2) were studied. The yield related traits like pod yield/plant, mature pods/plant and 100-KW were governed by both additive and non-additive gene effects in both the crosses, except 100 KW (C2) where dominance gene effects were important. Non-additive gene effects controlled the expression of shelling outturn. Both additive and non-additive gene effects were observed in case of quality traits viz. protein content, sugar content, oil content and oleic/linoleic ratio in both the crosses, except sugar content (C1) where dominance gene effect was significant. It suggested that additive, dominance and epistatic gene effects contributed significantly to the inheritance of yield and confectionery quality traits. It is desirable to make single, three way or double crosses to pool the characters from different genotypes in local cultivar that has wide adaptation. The crosses should be grown with large F2 progenies so that further selection can be made using pedigree, modified pedigree, bulk and single pod descent methods.