Induced polygenic variability for quantitative traits in chickpea var. Pusa-372

Abstract

Induction and evaluation of polygenic variability following treatments with gamma rays, EMS and their combinations were studied in chickpea var. Pusa-372. Mean values for various quantitative traits increased at lower or intermediate treatments and decreased at higher treatments in M2 generation. For days to flowering, days to maturity and plant height, mean values significantly decreased, whereas, for yield and yield contributing traits, mean values increased significantly in M3 generation. A considerable amount of variability was induced in the treated populations in M2 generation. Heritability and genetic advance values were quite high in M2 as compared to control for all polygenic traits which increased further in M3 for all yield contributing traits. Increase in the mean values of various polygenic traits, especially yield contributing traits, coupled with increase in heritability and genetic advance suggest fixation of desirable alleles for these traits and scope for selection of desirable high yielding types in chickpea.