Genetic variability and association of yield contributing traits in advanced breeding lines of soybean

Characterization of genotypes for various traits is a basic and very essential criterion for crop varietal improvement programmes. Under the present investigation fifty seven advanced breeding lines along with three best checks (JS 20-98, JS 20-116 and JS 20-34) were evaluated to characterize 17 phenotypic and 11 yield attributing traits at JNKVV, Jabalpur. Morphological/phenotypic traits were described as per DUS guidelines. Yield attributing traits were utilized to work out various biometric parameters (Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation,(PCV), Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV), heritability with genetic advance, correlation and path coefficient). Phenotypic characterization exhibited huge variability among advanced breeding genotypes for most of the descriptor traits. Semi-erect growth habit (100%), presence of peroxidase activity in ripe seed (100%), Semi-determinate growth type (95%), Yellow colour ripe seed testa (90%) and tawny colour pod hair (86.8%) were most common traits studied in genotypes. Significant variation was also obtained for yield attributing quantitative traits. PCV was higher in magnitude than GCV for all the traits and the highest for seed yield per plant (39.10 and 36.76, respectively). The highest heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean were recorded for biological yield per plant and seed yield per plant, respectively. Seed yield per plant demonstrated a highly significant positive relation with biological yield (0.797**) followed by 100 seed weight (0.735**) and the number of pods per plant (0.620**). Whereas, it was negatively correlated with plant height (-0.303**). The genotypic path coefficient analysis also revealed that the highest positive direct effect on seed yield per plant was due to biological yield per plant followed by 100 seed weight.