Genetic behaviour of earliness related traits and seed yield in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Genetic analysis of five quantitative traits related to earliness and seed yield in chickpea was carried out using eight segregating populations (F2 generations) and their nine parents. Characters included in the study were days to flowering, flowering period, days to maturity, plant height and seed yield per plant. The results showed that no consistency in magnitude of genetic parameters was observed in any cross populations. However, the F2 of P1xP4 exhibited high magnitude of heritability coupled with high genetic advance and GCV for flowering period, days to maturity and plant height and high heritability with moderate genetic advance and GCV for seed yield per plant. This indicated the involvement of additive gene action and potential for development of early maturing genotypes with enhanced seed yield. Correlation study revealed that days to flowering, flowering period and days to maturity recorded significant positive association among themselves. Though, their associations with seed yield per plant were weak in certain genetic backgrounds, otherwise almost non-significant. Thus, correlation studies revealed that selection for earliness will not directly increase productivity. The possibility of combining components of earliness with yield-promoting alleles was suggested.