Variability studies for various disease related parameters and yield contributing characters of sorghum {Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench}

Moderate coefficients of variability, very high to high heritability coupled with moderate genetic gain are reported for overall disease damage (score) in two consecutive years of 1996–97 and 1997–98 indicating the presence of non-additive gene action in the inheritance ol this trait. High heritability is being exhibited due to favourable influence of environment rather than the genotypes and selection for such traits may not be rewarding. Since the favourable ganes (leaf diseases parameters) were dispersed in different genotypes, multiple crossing is suggested to accumulate all these favourable genes into one genotype.