Characterization, Genetic Diversity, Heritability and Genetic Advances in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes

Twenty-Eight diverse wheat genotypes were evaluated for genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance at the Research Farm of Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut U. P. (India). In twenty eight different genotypes of wheat, genetic variability and genetic diversity were investigated for grain yield and its constituent parts. The analysis of variance revealed the significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits indicating presence of sufficient variability among the genotypes for various traits. The high GCV and PCV were recorded for days to heading, days to anthesis, biological yield per plant and thousand grain weights indicated wider genetic variation for these traits. The high heritability combined with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for biological yield per plant and thousand grains weight indicated that selection may be effective for this character. The result of genetic divergence showed that the 28 wheat genotypes were grouped into three cluster and maximum inter cluster distance were observed between the cluster III and Cluster I indicated that the genotypes presented in these cluster exhibited a broad range of genetic variability and were suitable for use in the program of hybridization.