*Author for Correspondence: Email- surindersandhu@pau.edu
The study analyzed seed quality traits in 58 groundnut germplasm accessions of elite breeding material obtained from ICRISAT, Hyderabad along with three checks in 2016–17. A wide variation was obtained in case of hundred kernel weight (HKW), fatty acids and total soluble sugars (TSS). Some of the lines viz. ICGV15001, ICGV15003, ICGV15004, ICGV15036, ICGV15037, ICGV15039, ICGV15041, ICGV15042 and ICGV15050 had oleic acid above 80% which also contributes to high oleic to linoleic acid ratio (O/L ratio) that imparts longer shelf life to the oil. Palmitic and linoleic acid was positively correlated with oil, however, negatively correlated with oleic (r=-0.339*) and O/L ratio (r =-0.335*) which indicates their antagonistic nature. Cluster analysis based on the studied traits, divided 61 genotypes into two main clusters. The differentiation in clusters is based on oleic acid content which was above 80% in lines falling under cluster I and 37–68% in lines under cluster II. The study helped in the identification of lines viz, ICGV15003, ICGV15039 and ICGV15050 with high O/L ratio and comparable oil and TSS content to checks. These genotypes may further be used for studying genetics of quality traits in groundnut breeding programmes.
Breeding, Fatty acids, Oil, O/L ratio, Total soluble sugars
