VARIABILITY IN PEA GERMPLASM FOR SOME AGROMORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS

Abstract

A study was carried out on genetic variation of 69 accessions of pea germplasm
of exotic and indigenous origin, for ten agro-morphological traits. Genotypic
coefficient of variationrevealed high to moderate variability for all the characters
studied, except for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity, which showed
low variability. Seed yield per plant, plant height, number of primary branches
per plant and seed weight expressed high heritability (broad sense) coupled with
high genetic advance; number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant,
pod length and .number of seeds per pod showed moderate to high values
whereas days to 50% flowering, and days to maturity had low estimates. The
wide genetic variability observed in the accessions for yield and yield related
traits could be useful for breeding superior genotypes. EC-6620, EC-8257,
IC-240775, IC- 240779 and IC-209107 were identified as superior accessions for
utilization.