Variability, heritability and genetic advance for some yield and yield related traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes in arid conditions

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), an important cereal crop in the world, is cultivated in temperate climatic zones. Assessment of genetic variability and heritability within barley is fundamental tool for the success of barley breeding program. The current study was made to work out the heritability and genetic diversity among seven barley genotypes. Data on eight morphological traits, i.e. plant height (PH), flag leaf area (FLA), number of tillers per plant (NTP), spike length (SL), number of spikelets per spike (NSPK), number of kernels per spike (NKSP), hundred kernel weight (HKWT) and kernel yield per plant (KYP) were collected and analysed. Phenotypic coefficient of variability (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV) for all the traits. Estimates of broad sense heritability for kernel yield per plant (KYP) and number of kernels per spike (NKSP) were 99.11% and 98.96%, respectively, coupled with high value of genetic advance. High amount of broad sense heritability with higher value of genetic advance provided the evidence that these plant attributes might be under the control of additive genetic effects and selection breeding can be beneficial for improvement of barley genotypes.