Genetic Analysis of Some Agronomic Characters in Chickpea

In this study, inheritance pattern of plant height, pods and seeds/plant, seed yield/plant of chickpea and combining abilities were assessed by evaluating the six lines and their crosses (half diallel) in a randomaized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Sarabchangaei, Khoramabad during the growing season of 2002-2003. Analysis of variance indicated that there is enough genetic variation for all traits. After achievement of diallel assumptions according to Jinks-Hayman’s (1953) approach for all traits, genetic variation was partitioned in additive and non-additive components using the method 2 of Gardner and Eberhart (1966). The results showed that lines and heterosis effects were significant for all traits, indicating the presence of additive and dominance gene action for these traits. Average heterosis for pods and seeds/plant was significant, showing that the mean of the hybrids was significantly different from the mean of the parents and the line heterosis component was significant for all traits, indicating that there were significant differences among hybrid arrays of the different parental lines. The significance of the specific heterosis component, however, indicated that there were hybrid combinations with a high degree of heterosis. Estimate of Baker index revealed that additive gene action was more important in the inheritance of plant height whereas non-additive gene effects were more important for others traits. Estimate of genetic parameters (D, H1, H2) according to Hayman’s (1954a) approach also indicated that additive variance component for plant height was greater than non-additive variance components while it was less important for others traits. Estimates of narrowsence heritability were medium for plant hight and low for others traits.Wr/Vr graphs reflected partial dominance for plant height and over-dominance for others traits. Estimates of specific combining ability effects showed high degree of heterosis for plant height in the cross Fili 92-99c × of Filip92-67c and for other traits in the cross of Filip84-48c × Filip93-60c.