Genetic Parameters Estimation of Agronomic Traits in Soybean Population Resistant to Whitefly

Abstract

More knowledge of genetic parameters could assist plant breeders in determining breeding methods and selection criteria. The aim of this study was to estimate the components of variance, heritability, and genetic advance some agronomic traits in F4 generation populations of soybean resistant to whitefly. The research was conducted at greenhouse of Indonesian Legumes and Tuber Crops Research Institute in Malang, Indonesia from April to July 2015. Plant genetic material consists of four soybean populations, each population derived from crosses between soybean genotypes resistant to whitefly with high yielding soybean varieties. All plant genetic material laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The results showed that all agronomic traits observed had narrow genetic variability. Broad sense heritability varies between 5% and 81%. Days to flowering, intensity of leaf damage, and seed weight per plant had high broad sense heritability (81%, 80%, and 52%, respectively). Selection on the intensity of leaf damage and seed weight per plant will provide the highest genetic advance, respectively by 41.62% and 20.15%. High heritability accompanied by high genetic advance on the intensity of leaf damage and seed weight per plant indicated an effective selection for these traits in this population.