Genetic Variability and Selection Parameters in Table Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

An experiment consisting 55 genotypes of table pea (10 parents + 45 F₁ derived through 10 parental diallel cross excluding reciprocals) at BNVPG College, Rath(Hamirpur) during rabi, 2007–08. The experiment was conducted in a complete by randomized block design replicated thrice. Each F₁ was sown in single row of 5 m long spaced at 45 x 10 cm between and within rows and plant respectively while each parent was planted in two rows with similar spacing. The observations were recorded on 5 randomly chosen plants from each genotype and each replication for days to flowering, days to maturity, plant length, number of pods/plant, pod length, pod width, number of seeds/pod, length of first fruiting inter node, number of first fruiting node, 100 grain weight, green pod yield/plant and yield/plant. The data so generated were analyzed for statistical analysis as usual procedure. High level of genetic variability between the treatments was observed for all the characters under study. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation was high for number of pods/plant, plant length, yield per plant and length of first fruiting inter node. The highest difference between these two was observation for number of seeds per pod. Broad sense heritability was high for days to flowering, days to maturity, plant length, number of pods/plant, pod length, length of first fruiting inter node, green pod yield/plant and yield/plant. An advancement of 28.87 cm in plant length followed by 22.62 g in green pod yield and 6.95 g in grain yield per plant was observed from single cycle of selection at K=2.06. The probable genetic gain was high for grain yield per plant was noted as 38.27% and for green pod yield as 25.77% at same selection intensity over base population. Grain yield per plant showed positive and significant correlation ship with days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and green pod yield/plant. Its association was negatively significant with number of first fruiting nodes. Number of seeds/pod followed by number of pods/plant, days to maturity and 100 grain weight showed high positive direct effect on grain yield per plant, pod length and green pod yield per plant had negative direct effects an yield. The major indirect effect of green pod yield followed by pod length, days to flowering and days to maturity via number of seed per plant were observed. Simple selection procedure followed by modified pedigree method and recurrent selection can be helpful to improve the grain yield in this crop.