Genetic analysis for green fodder quality characters in concurrence of heterosis and genotype-by-trait biplot in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Animal health is of utmost importance, whereas green fodder supply is limiting day-by-day. In the present investigation, eight diverse
wheat varieties were crossed in half-diallel fashion and were analysed along with 28 F1s for green fodder digestibility and crude protein in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The parental genotype NIAW34 showed the highest organic matter (91.65%), followed by PBW723 (91.47%) and GW322 (91.30%). Acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose and lignin contents ranged from 26.86-33.89%, 2.59–28.02% and 2.91–4.40%, respectively for parents and hybrids. Hemicellulose content varied from 27.60–36.58% and the parents namely, HI1544 (30.52%) and GW322 (29.91%) were found promising with the hybrids viz., HD3086/DBW110, HI1544/
NIAW34 and GW322/NW5054. The study revealed that wheat green fodder quality was comparable with the sorghum and maize crops.
Organic matter and neutral detergent fiber revealed a preponderance of additive gene action, whereas protein and nitrogen contents,
cellulose, lignin, acid detergent fiber and hemicellulose showed an average degree of dominance more than unity. The narrow leaf wheat genotype DBW110 exhibited higher cellulose and lignin contents, providing insight for on-field selection. The per se performance and genotype by trait biplot revealed the potential of wheat variety, GW322 for multiple fodder digestibility traits.