Genetic Evaluation of Yield and its Component Traits by using Generation Mean Analysis in Inter-varietal Crosses of Urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]

Urdbean is a prominent legume crop with excellent nutritive value that is utilized in many ways throughout India. To fulfill the increasing demand, production must be enhanced through the use of breeding procedures which leads to production of high yielding cultivars. This necessitates a thorough examination of the gene action involved in the regulation of yield and its attributing traits, which can be accomplished by generation mean analysis.

In present investigation, generation mean analysis was employed for 11 characters by using six-parameter model to determine the nature and magnitude of gene action of yield and its component traits in six inter-varietal crosses of urdbean.

Simple scaling test revealed that the digenic model (additive-dominance model) was inadequate for most of the traits, confirming the existence of non-allelic interactions for all of the crosses. Duplicate type of epistasis was reported for three traits in HimMash-1×Sirmour-2 (days to 50% flowering, days to 75% maturity, harvest index), Palampur-93×Kullu-4 (days to 50% flowering, podlength, 100-seed weight) and Palampur-93×Chamba-8 (days to 50% flowering, days to 75% maturity, pod length). Two in HimMash-1×Kullu-4 (days to 50% flowering, days to 75% maturity), HimMash-1×Chamba-8 (days to 50% flowering, 100-seed weight) and Palampur-93×Sirmour-2 (branches/plant, 100-seed weight). Hence, it was evident from the study that the bi-parental mating trailed by selection in advanced generations should be employed for harnessing desirable recombinants.