Selection indices in Virginia groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Sixty diverse genotypes of Virginia groundnut were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications to study of selection indices under rainfed conditions during kharif 2013. Sixty-three selection indices involving pod yield per plant (X1) and five yield components viz., 100-kernel weight (X2) shelling out-turn (X3), biological yield per plant (X4), harvest index (X5) and kernel yield per plant (X6) were constructed using the discriminant function technique. Discriminant function analysis indicated that selection efficiency of the function was improved by increasing number of characters in the index. Among the single character index, 100-kernel weight exhibited higher genetic advance and relative efficiency over straight selection for pod yield per plant. The index based on four characters viz., pod yield per plant, 100-kernel weight, shelling out-turn and kernel yield per plant recorded the highest genetic advance as well as relative efficiency and selection efficiency. These characters could be advantageously exploited in the groundnut breeding programmes.