Assessment of Variability Parameters and Character Association for Quantitative Traits in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas Linn.) Germplasm

The experimental materials comprised of 16 diverse genotypes of jatropha were evaluated for 16 quantitative characters. The phenotypic as well as genotypic coefficient of variation was highest for number of branches at harvesting time (16.27%) and (15.47%) respectively followed by oil yield liter/ha (16.08%) and (15.52%). High estimates of heritability in broad sense were observed for canopy, oil content, girth of main shoot, equatorial diameter, plant height, polar diameter of fruit and seed yield per plant. The expected genetic advance as percent of mean was high for oil yield liter per hectare and number of branches at harvesting time followed by seed yield quintal per hectare and seed yield per plant. The high heritability coupled with high genetic advance for number of branches at harvesting time and seed yield quintal per hectare would be helpful for indirect selection for improvement in seed yield.