Legume Research
Web of Science
  • Year: 2026
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue: 9

Genetic Variability, Character Association and Genetic Divergence Analysis in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes

  • Author:
  • Ravi Singh Thapa1, Anand Kumar2, Anuj Kumar3, Amit Kumar Maurya4, Anamica5, Akil Ahmad Khan6, Rajbir Singh1, Dharmendra Pratap7,*
  • Total Page Count: 10
  • Page Number: 1489 to 1498

1School of Agricultural Sciences, IIMT University, Meerut-250 001, Uttar Pradesh, India

2Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, GLA University, Mathura-281 406, Uttar Pradesh, India

3Faculty of Agricultural Science, Mahaveer University, Meerut-250 341, Uttar Pradesh, India

4Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Agriculture Sciences, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad-244 001, Uttar Pradesh, India

5Department of Botany, Raghunath Girl’s Post Graduate College, Meerut-250 001, Uttar Pradesh, India

6Department of Botany, G F College, Shahjahanpur-242 001, Uttar Pradesh, India

7Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut-250 004, Uttar Pradesh, India

*Corresponding Author: Dharmendra Pratap, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut-250 004, Uttar Pradesh, India, Email: virologyccsu@gmail.com

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) classified as one of the greatest prominent pulse crops in India and contributes substantially to nutritional security through its high protein content. Genetic improvement of chickpea requires comprehensive knowledge on degree of the variability available within breeding materials and connection among different genotypes facilitates identification of promising parents and effective selection process. Keeping in view, the present study was done to examine the heritability, genetic variability, genetic divergence and trait associations among forty one chickpea genotypes in the agroclimatic circumstances of western Uttar Pradesh.

The experiment was conducted on 41 genotypes of chickpea in Research Farm of Department of Genetic and Plant Breeding, CCS University Meerut (UP) India. Each genotype was sown during rabi season 2021–22 utilizing randomized block design involving three replications. Five plant were randomly selected were utilized to record data for every genotype in each replication, covering the eleven characteristic traits that were being studied.

ANOVA demonstrated sufficient variability among the all evaluated genotypes for each trait. The highest GCV and PCV estimates were found for no. of seeds/plant, number of pods plant, hundred seeds weight, seed yield per plant, biological yield/ plant, branches/plant, total seeds/ pods, plant height. Heritability (bs) with GA as % of mean was highest for number of seeds/plant, followed by pods/plant, biological yield/plant, 100 seed weight, seed yield/plant, no. of seeds/pod. Correlation result demonstrate the number of seeds per plant significant positive associated with seed/ plant, pods/plant, harvest index, primary branches/plant, no. of seeds/pod, biological yield/plant. Path analysis demonstrated the harvest index, biological yield, no. of seed/pod and plant height exerted greatest positive direct effects on seed yield. In contrast, hundred seed weight, branches/plant, total seeds/plant, pods/plant revealed negative direct effect on seed yield. The intra cluster distance ranged from 2.261 to 2.918 in cluster I and III, respectively. Between cluster III and II showed high inter cluster distance in compression to between cluster I and III, cluster I and II. The genotypes RHD-52, BG-372, JG-2001-115 and K-1065 were identified as suitable for early flowering and maturity, whereas JG-226, DC-18-1107, ICC-8948, JG-2001-115, ICC-7549 and P-1106 were found superior for seed yield performance.

Keywords

Chickpea, Correlation and path coefficient, Genetic divergence, Genetic variability, Heritability, Seed yield