Genetic variability studies in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Abstract

Oilseed crops have been the backbone of agricultural economy of world and India. Among oilseeds groundnut is one of the important crop grown in the world. In India groundnut ranks first among the edible oil seed groups. As such edible oil economy of India is primarily depends upon groundnut production. Groundnut is most common mans item in daily diet and is considered as poor mans almond. Groundnut contains oil up to 40 to 50 per cent, protein 21.40 to 36.40 grams per hundred grams of seed, carbohydrate 6.02 to 24.90 per cent and moisture 3.90 to 13.20 per cent. Plant characters are highly influenced by environmental fluctuations. The quantitative character like pod yield is associated with other characters. The pod yield is influenced by environment to a considerable degree. Therefore, selection for such characters based on phenotypic expression is less efficient. For reliable selection, it becomes necessary to estimate the relative amount of heritable (genetic) and non heritable (non genetic) variability exhibited by such quantitatively inherited characters which can be obtained with the help of certain genetic parameters like genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability estimates and expected genetic advance over mean. Accepted : October, 2008