Genotypic and phenotypic variability and heritability of some yield and quality characters in soybean {Glycine max (L.) Merrill}

Genetic variability and heritability were estimated in 30 soybean strains grown during kharif, 1999. It was observed that most of the characters possessed sufficient genetic variability. High heritability was accompanied by high genetic advance for seed yield per plant indicating the presence of additive gene action in the expression of this character. Non-additive heritability was observed in the expression of characters viz., days to 50% flowering, protein content and palmitic acid as these traits had high heritability estimates accompanied by low genetic advance.