Genetic variability in guar following hybridization and irradiation

The present investigations were undertaken with a view to study the nature and magnitude of variability in an experiment comprising of unirradiated 15 F_l's and 15 F₂s and the irradiated 15 F₁ M₁'s and 15 F₂ M₂'S population of guar. It was observed that irradiation caused earliness in flowering and maturity and increase in 100-seed mass and reduction in the remaining characters. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation increased for pod length, seeds per pod, protein and gum content and reduced for days to flowering, maturity, plant height, clusters and seed yield per p,ant in both F₁M₁ and F₂M₂ i.e. the irradiated populations. High estimates of heritability and high genetic gains were observed for number of clusters and seed yield per plant in F₁ and F₂ populations. The mean value was reduced and coefficient of variation was increased in majority of the crosses in F₂M₂ or F₂ population for some of the characters. However, reverse was also observed for some characters.