Genetic variability for yield and yield attributing characters in safflower germplasm (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Eighty safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) accessions including five checks namely A-1, A-2, HUS-305, PBNS-12, NARI-6 were grown during rabi 2014- 2015, in a augumented design a College of Agriculture, Vijaypur. Analysis of variance for eleven characters studied, out of which eight characters exhibited great variability reflecting genetic worth of base material. The traits were plant height, rosette period, number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitulum, hull percentage, biological yield, harvest index, seed yield per plant and capitulum diameter. There were significant differences even among the checks for the traits. Higher magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of viriation (PCV) than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the quantitative characters reflected irnportance of environment in their manifestation, moreover low to moderate magnitude of ECV suggested variable influence of environment for different attributes. High GCV and PCV were observed for the number of seeds per capitulum is less influenced by the environment. Therefore, priority should be givenfor this trait during selection. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean, reflected importance of additive genetic variance for test weight, Number of capitul a per plant, number of seeds per capitulum and seed yield per plant.