Genetic variability and association studies for green pod yield and component horticultural traits in garden pea under high hill dry temperate conditions

Genetic variability and association studies involving 20 diverse pea genotypes were carried out for four consecutive summers at Kukumseri (Lahaul & Spiti), a dry temperate zone of Himachal Pradesh. Highest pod yield per plant was recorded in Palam Priya followed by Kukumseri Sel. 6 and DPP 9418–06. Phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were of high magnitude for plant height and moderate for pods per plant and pod yield per plant. The heritability and genetic advance were high for plant height and moderate for pods per plant and pod yield per plant indicating the additive and non-additive gene action for their expression, respectively. Correlation studies reveal positive association of pod yield per plant with pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod and total soluble solids. The path analysis also revealed the highly positive direct effects through pods per plant, plant height and pod length. Therefore, these traits may be considered as the most reliable selection indices for effective improvement in green pod yield in garden pea. Palam Priya, Kukumseri Sel.6 and DPP 9481–06 were found promising for future breeding programme on the basis of their superior performance for various horticultural traits.