Science Letters

Estimation of heritability and genetic advance for some yield traits in eight F2 populations of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Muhammad Waqas a, Muhammad Faheem b, Abdus Salam Khan a, Muhammad Shehzad c, Muhammad Asghar Ali Ansari d

a University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan,

b College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, P.R. China

c Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha, Pakistan

d Department of biological sciences, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

Abstract

Eight F2 populations viz., Manthar-2003 × Fareed-2006, Manthar-2003 × 9444, Manthar-2003 × 9317, Manthar-2003 × 9242, Fareed-2006 × 9317, Fareed-2006 × 9242, Fareed-2006 × 9444 and Fareed-2006 × Manthar-2003 involving five varieties/lines Manthar-2003, Fareed-2006, 9444, 9317 and 9242 were evaluated for the estimation of heritability and genetic advance of various yield traits. Broad sense heritability was varied from 51.72 to 80.11%, 40.26 to 77.96%, 50.21 to 84.51% and 54.48 to 80.91 and the range of genetic advance was from 1.59 to 3.36, 3.35 to 6.88, 0.17 to 0.74 and 3.55 to 6.88 for number of tillers per plant, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike and grain yield per plant respectively. The cross combinations Fareed 06 × 9242, Manthar 03 × 9242 and parental line 9242 appeared to be the most promising. Therefore, selection among these crosses and parents for the improvement of grain yield per plant would give good results.

Keywords: Wheat; F2 population; broad-sense heritability; genetic advance; grain yield.

Received December 12, 2013; Revised February 21, 2014; Accepted February 27, 2014

Corresponding author: Muhammad Waqas; E-mail: waqasjutt_19@yahoo.com; Phone: +923468628029