Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L) genotypes for seed yield and other agronomic traits

The experiment was conducted using simple lattice design with two replication and the trails was totally consisted fifty six genotypes. Data on seed yield and other Agronomic traits were used to estimate the genetic variability parameters, heritability and genetic advance (GA). Analysis of variance revealed highly significant and significant difference for all studied traits. Evaluated characters were exhibited different levels of variability, heritability and genetic advance among the studied genotypes. Low to high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were recorded. The highest GCV and PVC values were found particularly for lodging percent (76.65% and 90.63%), harvest index (42.26% and 47.92%) yield per hectare (41.23% and 48.19%) and number of capsule per branch (30.81% and 37.25%) respectively, whereas low GCV and PCV (8.27% and 9.73% respectively) manifested for days to maturate. The highest broad sense heritability value manifested for harvest index (77.78%) followed by seed yield per hectare (73.21%), while lowest heritability (3.78%) revealed only for seed per capsule. In present study low to moderate genetic advance were manifested and high heritability and genetic advance as percentage of mean (>50) was recorded for lodging percentage, number of capsule per branch, seed yield per hectare and harvest index, indicating predominance of additive gene action for these characters. Therefore the result of this study suggests existence of variability for seed yield and other agronomic traits in these linseed genotypes, which should be exploited in future breeding.