Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding

Genetic resource of any crop makes it possible for plant breeders to create narrative plant gene combinations and decide on crop varieties. In the present study, 200 turmeric genotypes with two checks were evaluated in Augmented Randomized Complete Block Design for nineteen quantitative traits. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of variability and diversity between quantitative traits, among 200 different turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) genotypes. Mean values of nineteen quantitative traits for the test entries showed superiority as compared to check varieties viz., BSR 2 and CO 2 excluding the length of secondary rhizome. The results of analysis of variance exhibited significance for all the quantitative traits, suggesting the existence of sufficient genetic variability among the genotypes studied. Significant values for coefficient of variation was observed for the weight of primary rhizomes plant⁻¹ (55.17%) followed by weight of mother rhizomes plant⁻¹, weight of secondary rhizomes plant⁻¹ and rhizome yield plant⁻¹ with CV of 53.72, 52.59 and 48.26 % respectively. The genotype CL 18 recorded the maximum significant value for plant height (160.99 cm), leaf width (22.35 cm), weight of mother rhizomes plant⁻¹ (289.94 g), weight of primary rhizomes plant⁻¹ (452.22 g), the number of secondary rhizomes plant⁻¹ (34.30) and rhizome yield plant⁻¹ (970.09 g) as compared to other genotypes. The magnititude of estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation for all the nineteen quantitative characters. Genotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 3.15 % to 12.33 % and phenotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 4.29 % to 19.36 %. Heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean (GAM) were higher in all the nineteen quantitative traits studied in turmeric genotypes.