Genetic analysis of important morpho-ecomonic traits in periwinkle [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don]

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with six diverse genotypes including one 0.5% EMS induced mutant and one released white with cream center cultivar 'Nirmal' and one recently released white petal with pink center cultivar 'Prabal' of periwinkle [Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don] to seek the genetic information on leaf alkaloid yield by using diallel analysis. Analysis of variance for 6 x 6 diallel cross progenies revealed highly significant differences among treatments (inclusive of direct and reciprocal F1s and the parents) for all the traits. This study revealed that medium x medium and medium x high performing parents provided the best cross combination for the production of high leaf alkaloid yielding lines. Based on three analyses, namely graphical, variance component and combining ability, both additive and non-additive genetic variances were found important in the inheritance of alkaloid yield and other yield contributing characters although non-additive component was higher than the additive component for most of the characters except for leaf-stem ratio.