GENETIC VARIABILITY FOR CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) UNDER LATE SOWN SEASON

Forty four promising lines of chickpea were grown in RBD with three replications under late sown season. The maximum genotypic coefficient of variation was noticed for damaged pod percentage, total number of seeds per plant and total number of pods per plant. Days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant showing high heritability coupled with medium genetic advance as percentage of mean, whereas, damage pod percentage, number of seeds per plant and number of pods per plant showing medium heritability and high genetic advance as percentage of mean. Seed yield per plant showed high significant positive correlation with total number of seeds per plant, total number of pods per plant, biological yield, plant height and 100 seed weight, whereas, significant negative correlation with days to 50% flowering and damaged pod percentage. Based on D2 cluster analysis, the forty four genotypes were grouped into nine clusters, depending upon the genetic constitution of the genotypes. The maximum intra cluster distance was found in cluster IV followed by cluster I, cluster VI and cluster VIII. Inter cluster values varied from 2.75 to 9.02. Total pods per plant, 100 seed weight, days to maturity, biological yield and seed yield per plant considered as selection criteria, while selecting superior genotypes under late condition. High yielding advanced breeding lines viz. JG 14, JSC 56, AKG 70, JG 9602974, BG 3005, PG 03110, Phule G 00108 were found suitable under late sown condition.