Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Department of Botany, Calicut University - 673 635, India.
Cassia tora L. is an important wild legume with food, forage, medicinal, biocontrol and weed potential. The genetic control of its morphometric characters and the variability of the species in the Malabar region of Kerala state of India have been studied presently based on the observations recorded on twenty eight populations of the species. Length of tap root, number of primary roots, length of main stem, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches per primary branch, length of leaf rachis, number of flowering branches and fruit length showed polygenic control and number of leaflets per leaf showed olegogenic control with no recessive allele. Mean fruit length and length of leaf rachis showed the lowest variability among the polygenic characters whereas number of secondary branches per primary branch was the most variable.
