Genetic variability, broad sense heritability and genetic advance studies in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm

The experiment was conducted at Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University D.I.Khan Pakistan during 2013-2014 to estimate genetic diversity, heritability and genetic advances for few characters which relate to yield in bread wheat. Sixty wheat genotypes obtained from NARC, Islamabad worked out in the current research work. The experiment was laid out in (RCBD) having 3 replications. The aspects for recording data included number of tillers plant-1, plant height, number of spikelet’s spike-1, number of grain spike-1, 1000-grain weight and grain yield plant-1. ANOVA showed significant differences for all the characters studied. The estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were high for grain yield per plant and 1000-grain yield. The remaining traits exhibit moderate to low PCV and GCV estimates. Phenotypic coefficient of variation showed its maximum value for grain yield plant-1 (44.62%) and the minimum value was reported for number of spikelets spike-1 (12.63%). The range for genotypic coefficient of variation was 5.11% for (Number of spiklets spike-1) to 42.46% for (Grain yield plant-1. The highest heritability estimates were observed for plant height (98.27%) and highest genetic advance was reported for grain yield (83.22%). High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for parameters like 1000-grain weight and grain yield plant-1 indicated additive genetic effects. The overall results showed that selection should lead to a fast genetic improvement of the material. Keywords: Wheat; Genotypes; Genetic variability; Heritability; Genetic advance http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.60055