Identification of rust resistant lines and their genetic variability and character association studies in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]

Segregating populations (F3) of two crosses involving two high yielding varieties - JS335 and JS9305 (both susceptible to rust) and one germplasm line EC241780 (resistant to rust) were screened through artificial inoculation for resistance to soybean rust. Six among the 62 progeny lines were resistant or moderately resistant to rust.The selected lines had yield level at par with JS335 and/or JS9305. Significant genetic variations were observed in the progeny lines for yield and other yield attributing characters except pod length and number of seeds per pod. The differences between phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variations for the characters were narrow. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advances were recorded for a number of traits. Positive and significant phenotypic correlation of seed yield was observed with number of branches per plant, pods per plant, pod weight, number of seeds per plant, biomass and harvest index.The identified lines will be the primer for developing improved soybean genotypes with resistance to rust disease.