Estimation of gene action and genetic parameters of seed yield and related traits in rainfed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes using diallel method

To estimate gene action and genetic parameters of seed yield and some morphological traits, six variety and lines of chickpea as well as seed derived from their diallel crosses were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications in 2016-17 at Gerizeh research station of Sanandaj, Iran. Significant differences were identified among genotypes for all traits. Genotypic variances were partitioned into additive and non-additive genetic components using Hayman method. Additive genetic component were significant for all traits excluding one-hundred seed weight. Non-additive component was significant for all traits at 1% probability level. The highest and lowest degrees of dominance were observed for plant height and number of seed per pod, respectively. Mean of dominance ratio revealed genes partial dominance for days from sowing to flowering and seeds per pod, and over dominance for other traits. Broad-sense heritability estimates ranged from 0.91 for number of pod per plant to 0.68 for seed weight. Highest and lowest values of narrow-sense heritability were estimated from 0.73 for days to flowering to 0.06 for seed yield, respectively. Graphical analysis of Wr /Vr indicated that there was a complete dominance for days from sowing to flowering, 100 seed weight and seed yield. For days from sowing to maturity, number of seed per pod, intercept was positive, and controlled by partial dominance gene action. On the other hand, for number of pods per plant and plant height, the intercept was negative and the gene action was over dominance. For seed yield, except ILC 482, the parents were close to the origin of the coordinate axis and contained more dominant alleles. It is concluded that crossing cv. Azad with high yield potential cultivars can be more suitable, and for this purpose the parents that were located farther from intercept in Wr /Vr diagram are preferred.