Assessment of genotypic and phenotypic variability, heritability and genetic advance for seed yield and related agronomic traits in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes in the Northern State, Sudan

Abstract

A study was conducted at Merowe Research Station Farm, Northern state of Sudan, during two successive winter seasons 2010/11 and 2011/2012. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance were determined for yield and its contributing parameters in 12 faba bean genotypes. Data were gathered on the seed yield (kg ha^-1) and some yield related traits: days to 50% flowering, days to 90% maturity, plant height (cm), number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod and 100-seed weight (g). Analysis of variance for traits studied showed significant differences among genotypes, seasons and their interaction (P ≤ 0.01) for most of the studied traits. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was observed for number of pods/plant and 100 – seed weight. Medium PCV was observed for plant height and days to 50% flowering. High genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) were observed for plant height and 100 - seed weight. Moderate genotypic coefficients of variation were estimated for days to 50% flowering and number of pods/plant. Phenotypic coefficient of variation values for most characters was closer to the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation values showing little environment effect on the expression of these characters. The estimated values of broad-sense heritability were found to be between 57.97% for 100 – seed weight and 1.87% for number of pods per plant. High heritability indicated that selection based on mean would be successful in improving these traits. Genetic grains that expected from selecting the top 5% of the genotypes, as a present of mean were varied from 0.65% for plant height to 8.45% for 100 – seed weight

Keywords: Faba bean, variability, heritability, genetic advance, seed yield.