Evaluation of variability and heritability of effective traits on yield in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under non-stress and moisture stress conditions before pod formation

In order to identify the most important effective agronomic traits on yield and for evaluation of their variability and heritability in nine bean cultivars, two separate experiments were conducted based on RCBD with three replications under normal and moisture stress conditions. Analysis of variance results showed that the cultivars differences were significant for the majority of traits in both conditions, so that there were different genetic potentials for the cultivars. Mean compression results showed that the highest and lowest economic yield belonged to Daneshkade and Goli cultivars respectively, in both normal and moisture stress conditions. The traits of days from planting to 50% pod formation, days from planting to physiological maturity and period of pod filling reduced the yield of Goli cultivar in both conditions, especially in severe moisture stress condition. Correlation results showed that the economic yield was significantly correlated to pod weight, harvest index, biomass and number of pods per plant. Stepwise regression indicated that the traits of pod weight, harvest index and biomass were the most important effective traits on economic yield in both conditions. In addition, the maximum and minimum genetic diversity under stress condition belonged to days from planting to 50% pod formation and number of pod per plant respectively. Meanwhile, the highest and lowest heritability in moisture stress condition related to days from planting to 50% pod formation and seed number.