Genetic variability analysis for plant selection in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

The experiment was conducted in rabi 2015-2016 at the center of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agricultural, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad Uttar Pradesh (U.P). The evaluate fourteen genotypes of linseed in randomized block design with three replications. The objective of this work was to assess the magnitude of genetic variability parameters for different quantitative traits in linseed. The genetic variability analysis for plant selection in linseed for ten characters under study viz., seedling vigour, days to 50 percent flowering, plant height, number of branches, number of capsules per plant, days to maturity, number of seeds per capsules, 1000 seed weight, seed yield per plant and seed yield per plot. The mean sum of squares due to genotypes showed significant differences for all the characters suggesting that the genotypes were genetically variable and considerable amount of variability existed among them. The present investigation can be concluded that best genotype was identified as a desirable genotype with highest seed yield, seeds per capsule and capsules per plant. All PCV values were greater than GCV for all traits. Thus, indicating selection based on these characters would be rewarding for yield improvement in linseed.