Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
The nature of association between quantitative characters viz., height, ear length, spikelet number, grain number, were examined to understand the role of linkage, pleiotropy and physiological associations; association between qualitative characters, viz., awning, glume colour and grain colour with above four quantitative characters was also studied.
It was found that linkage was responsible for association between height, ear length and spikelet number. In case of association between ear-length, spikelet number and grain number linkage and physiological associations are the important factors of association. In case of spikelet number X grain number, pleiotropy and linkage both appeared to play their part.
For qualitative X quantitative combination significant association in case of glume colour and ear length was found which may be due to physiologial associations.
No association was found between three qualitative characters studied.
