Genetic analysis of yield and its components in soybean [glycine max (L.) merrill]

Abstract

For improvement of yield, gene action studies are of immense use as they help in deciding suitable breeding strategy. For the present investigation four soybean genotypes were selected for effecting four crosses. Out of them two (DS-228 and MAUS-71) are well adopted, notified high yielding varieties, with low seed longevity and two genotypes (Birsa Soya-1 and Kalitur) with low yield but have high seed longevity. Additive gene action was found predominant in inheritance of yield and yield contributing characters viz., number of primary branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per cluster, 100 seed weight and yield per plant. Both additive and non-additive gene effects were significantly involved in the expression of nine quantitative traits with duplicate epistasis. Duplicate epistasis was significantly importance in inheritance of most traits studies. Biparental mating design should be used to improve these characters.