Genetic Variability and Character Association among the Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass.]

Niger is a minor oil seed crop mostly cultivated in high altitude and tribal zones of India with relatively lower productivity. Development of varieties with higher yielding ability needs keen observations and scientific studies on the genetic variability and character association studies among the available germplasm or in the breeding material. The present investigation was carried out with a main objective to estimate the extent of genetic variability and character association with respect to yield and yield component traits. Thirty five genotypes of niger were collected from different niger stations and sown in rabi, 2022 in a randomized block design at Regional Agricultural Research Station, High Altitude and Tribal Zone, Chintapalle, ANGRAU. Observations were recorded on five plants in each line in each replication for plant height (cm), number of branches plant-1, number of capitula plant-1, test weight (g) and seed yield plant-1 (g). Days to 50 % flowering, days to maturity and seed yield ha-1 (kg/ha) were recorded on plot basis. Analysis of heritability(bs) and genetic advance as percent of mean revealed that four characters viz., plant height, number of branches plant-1, number of capitula plant-1 and seed yield plant-1 are governed by additive gene action, which can be improved further by simple selection methods. Majority of the characters under study are having a significant positive association with seed yield ha-1which helps in indirect selection for higher yield by using these character combinations. All the characters showed significant and positive association with seed yield plant-1which helps in indirect selection of genotypes for improved yielding ability.