Cluster analysis for heterosis in wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.) em. Theil.]

Abstract

Twenty-five wheat genotypes were selected from the wheat germplasm maintained at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and planted in Randomized Block Design in three replications in 1996-97 crop season. The plot size was double row of 3m length with inter and intra-row spacings of 25cm and 10cm, respectively. From these parents, 83 random crosses were made during Rabi 19~6-97. The F1 seeds were grown in 1997-98 crop season along with parents in RBD with 3 replications and double row of check parent HUW234 was planted after each 10th plot. The plot size in F1 generation was also double row of 3m length with inter and intra-row spacing of 25cm and 10cm, respectively. Same crosses were also attempted in 1997-98 season and planted in 1998-99 crop season in above manner. The data were recorded from twenty randomly selected plants for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (em), productive tillers/plant, spike length (em), spikelets/spike, grains/spike, grain weight/spike (g) and 100-seed weight (g) in parental as well as F1 generation in two crop seasons. The double row plot was harvested and seeds were threshed for recording data on yield/plot (g) and harvest index (%). Data were pooled and correlation [1], path [2] and D2-analysis [3] were done in parental population. Simultaneously, correlation and path analysis was done for F1 generation along with estimation of standard heterosis over HUW234 for various metric traits. The analysis of variance for all the traits showed highly significant differences between genotypes in parental and crosses in F1 generation.