Simultaneous selection for improvement of yield and nutritional components using classical selection index in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.]

The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the sixty foxtail millet germplasm for simultaneous improvement of yield and nutritional components using classical selection index considering traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle length, productive tillers per plant, days to maturity, test weight, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus and grain yield per plant. The expected genetic advance for all the fifteen characters was estimated by assigning equal economic weights as well as by using inverse of means as economic weights. The traits plant height, carbohydrate and grain yield per plant recorded relatively higher values of genetic advance while copper, zinc and phosphorus recorded relatively lower values in both cases. Simultaneous selection taking all fifteen characters into consideration, found that Ise 238, Ise 1511, Ise 49 and Ise 132 recorded relatively higher selection index values in both the cases i.e., when the equal economic weights were assigned as well as when inverse of means are used as economic weights for estimation of selection index scores. These results also indicate that the two methods of assigning economic weights is almost equally efficient in identifying superior genotypes during simultaneous selection.