Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
* Present address: Regional Agricultural Research Station, Diphu 782 460, Karbi Anglong (Assam).
Studies on genetic variability was conducted with 12 local cultivars of dolichos bean, collected from different places of Assam for 20 plant characters. Significant variation were observed among the cultivars for different plant characters. High genotypic coefficient of variation in inflorescence length, pod weight, vitamin C content, pod breadth, flowers/inflorescence, pod yield/plant, pod length indicated the existence of variability for selection based on these traits. High heritability and high genetic advance in inflorescence length, pod weight, pod breadth, vitamin C content indicated the additive gene effects in their expression and direct selection can be made for these traits for improvement. The effect of non-additive gene is evident in main stem length, days to flower bud emergence, flowers/plant al)d. seeds/pod. Thus, heterosis breeding is needed for these characters in the improvement.
