Identification of suitable bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines for rainfed situation in Karnataka

Abstract

Karnataka is one of the important wheat growing states
in the peninsular India. Most of the area is under rainfed
condition dominated by durum wheat cultivation. In the
recent years, the area under bread wheat is increasing
under rainfed condition. This necessitated the identification
of suitable lines for this situation. The success of any
breeding programme depends upon the successful selection
of genetically variable material in hand. To make the
heritable improvement in characters, estimation of genetic
parameters and genetic advance is required. Heritability
estimates provides information about the extent to which
a particular character can be transmitted to the successive
generations. Knowledge of heritability of a trait guides a
plant breeder to predict behavior of succeeding generations
and helps in making desirable selections. Correlation studies
along with path analysis provide a better understanding
of the association of different characters with grain yield.
Path coefficient analysis separates the direct effects from
the indirect effects through other related characters by
portioning the correlation coefficients (Dixet and Dubey,
1984). The present study was carried out to evaluate the
genetic variability and inheritance of yield of some diverse
lines for the development of desirable wheat genotypes for
the rainfed areas.