Genetic Spectrum of Variability Studies for Quantitative Traits in F3 Generation of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

In the present investigation, estimates of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance were assessed for thirteen different characters in the F3 population derived from nine groundnut crosses viz., TLG 45 x ICGV-05155,JL – 501 x KDG-128, K-1641 x ALR-3, SG-99 x R-8808, ALG-234 x ICGV-00350, AG-24 x ICGV-6110, JSSP-LS-58 x CS-19, TPG-41 x GG-16 and J-89 x ISK-I-16-13.The mean sums of squares due to genotypes and parents were significant for all the characters except shelling outturn (%) and mean sums of squares due to F3s were significant for all the characters except 100-matured kernel weight, oil content (%) and biological yield per plant and mean sum of square due to parents vs crosses were significant for all the characters except shelling outturn, kernel yield, 100-matured kernel weight, oil content (%) and harvest index indicating there by sufficient amount of variability was present in the material studied. The estimates of GCV were quite close to the PCV were moderate to high in most of the crosses for all the characters except in days to appearance of first flower, days to maturity, oil content and biological yield per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance and high value of GCV and PCV for number of matured pods per plant in Cross 7 (JSSP-LS-58 × CS-19). Thus, it can be concluded that this Cross 7 for number of matured pods per plant was mainly under the influence of additive gene action and selection would be effective for improving these traits.