Selection indices for yield improvement in Pigeonpea [Cajanus Cajan (L.) Millsp]

Sixty three selection indices involving seed yield and five yield components were constructed using the discriminatnt function technique. The efficiency of selection increased with the inclusion of more number of the characters in the index. The index based on all six characters viz., seed yield per plant, pod number per plant, days to maturity, branch number per plant, 100-seed weight and pod length recorded the highest genetic advance and relative efficiency followed by an index based on five characters viz., seed yield per plant, pods number per plant, days to maturity, number of branches per plant and 100-seed weight. Therefore, utilization of these indices are advocated for effective selection of high yielding genotypes in pigeonpea.