Heritability and Genetic Advance from F, to F₄ Diallel Generations in Spring Wheat

Estimates of heritability and genetic advance for 11 attributes related to grain yield and its productivity in Triticum aestivum L. are reported from F₃ and F₄ diallel generations involving 6 cultivars of diverse origin. These estimates were compared for 9 traits of F₁ diallel and 8 traits of F₂ diallel involving the same parents.

Plant height showed highest estimates of heritability closely followed by 1,000-kernel weight in both the F₃ and F₄ diallel generations while in the F₂, the highest value exhibited by grain weight per main spike followed by number of productive tillers per plant. In F₁ diallel, number of grains per spikelet exhibited maximum value of heritability estimates followed by length of the main spike. Number of days for flowering, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, number of days for maturity, length of the main spike, number of grains per main spike, number of spikelets per main spike, grain weight per main spike and 1,000-kernel weight were showing high genetic advance in F₄ generations as compared to F₁ generation. The situations were nearly parallel in both the F₂ and F₃ generations for this parameter. 213 selections combining high yield and desirable productive traits were isolated in the F₃s and 57 selections in the F₄s.