Genetic analysis for yield and quality related traits in moth bean [Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal]

Grain yield is a complex phenomenon, which results from the interaction of various contributing causes highly influenced by environmental variation. Phenotypic selection cannot directly improve the characters in heterozygous crops like moth bean unless dissected by genetic analysis. A study undertaken to determine the extent of genetic variability for seed yield and ten other quantitative characters in 40 genotypes of moth bean. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. High genotypic coefficient and phenotypic coefficient of variation recorded for number of branch per plant, seed yield per plant, harvest index and leaf area indicated potential variability available for these traits and small difference between them suggesting positive selection in desired direction for improvement of this character. The high heritability along with high genetic advance in day to flowering, number of pod per plant, seed yield per plant, harvest index, number of branch per plant, test weight and leaf area per plant suggested that genotypic variation for the characters probably attributed to high additive genetic effect and selection would be wrathful based on phenotypic performance.