Assessment of Genetic Variability of Parameters for Yield and its Components in Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

An experiment was conducted with 9 crosses of soybean in compact family block design for 14 quantitative traits during kharif 2019 at N. E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India to assess genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance. Genetic variability were found among the experimental materials for all traits. Phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation for most of the traits. Seed yield per plant showed highest genotypic coefficient of variation (29.1%). The highest heritability was exhibited by plant height followed by number of pods per plant, seed yield per plant and harvesting index. The value of genetic advance ranged from 0.06 (number of seeds per pod) to 89.45 (seed yield per row). The highest value of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent mean exhibited by seed yield per plant followed by dry matter weight per plant, seed yield per row, number of pods per plant, seed yield efficiency which ensured additive gene action.