Agric. Sci. Digest., 31 (4) : 280-284, 2011 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE www.ar.arccjour ccjournals.com / indianjournals.com nals.com VARIABILITY AND CHARACTER ASSOCIATION IN GLADIOL ADIOLUS (GL GLADIOL ADIOLUS GRANDIFLORUS L.) Jitendra Kumar*, Rakesh Kumar and Krishan Pal al Department of Horticulture, Chaudhary Charan Singh University Campus, Meerut-250 004 India Received : 14-03-2011 Accepted : 15-10-2011 ABSTRACT A study was conducted to estimate genetic variability,, heritability and genetic advance of 15 quantitative characters in forty four gladiolus cultivars. Significant difference was observed for most of the characters except number of corms per plant under study.. The estimated phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). The estimated range of PCV and GCV were ranging from 8.41 (PCV) and 6.83 (GCV) for diameter of floret to 127.33 (PCV) and 126.33 (GCV) for number of florets per spike. The characters, days to 50% sprouting, number of leaves per plant, length of leaves, number of florets per spike, diameter of corm, weight of corms per plant, number of cormels per plant and cormels weight per plant exhibited high heritability along with high genetic advance which indicated that, their was additive gene action in expression of these traits and thereby further improvement could be made by selection. Plant height was significantly and positively correlated with number of leaves per plant, spike length, rachis length, days to 50% flowering, diameter of florets indicating that with the increasement of plant height these associated characters could be improved. Key words : Gladiolus, Genetic variability, Heritability, Genetic advance, Correlation. INTRODUCTION Gladiolus, a member of family Iridaceae is a native of South Africa (Mishra, 1977). Gladiolus as a crop has been very successful in India due to its majestic spikes containing attractive elegant and delicate florets of various shades, sequential opening of florets for a longer duration and good keeping quality of cut spikes. For a modern and industrialized floriculture, there is always demand and necessity of new varieties. So, there is a great challenge for the scientists to get a new dimension for gladiolus cultivation. Planning and execution of a breeding programme for the development of new varieties depends, to a great extent upon the genetic magnitude of genetic variability. The genotypic *Corresponding author s e.mail : dhaka1968@gmail.com. and phenotypic coefficient of variation are helpful in exploring the nature of variability in the breeding population whereas, the estimates of heritability provides index of transmissibility of characters. Moreover, correlation study provides valuable information about the inter relationship among the various traits and influence of each component trait on yield, thereby aids in selection. Realizing the importance of above facts, the present study was carried out with forty four genotypes of gladiolus (all of cultivars) to estimate the genetic parameters such as genotypic co-efficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance and correlation coefficient to establish correlations among economic parameters in gladiolus.
Vol. 31, No. 4, 2011 281 MATERIALS AND METHODS The present investigation was carried out at the Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, C.C.S. University Campus, Meerut during the crop season 2005-06. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications, consisted forty four genotypes of gladiolus. The genotypes of gladiolus were obtained from different reliable sources. Genetically pure, healthy, dormancy less, disease free and moderate size corms were selected. Before sowing the corms, the brownish scale leaf cover was removed and then treated with 0.2% carbandism solution (systemic fungicides). After drying the bulbs in shade were planted with distance of 30x20 cm and 7 cm depth. Recommended cultural operations were performed in the experimental crop throughout the period of investigation. The experimental observations were taking on fifteen traits. The mean values of five randomly selected plants from each germplasm in each replication were used for data analysis. The analysis of variance was carried out according to the standard procedure suggested by Panse and Sukhatme, (1967). The genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was computed by using the formula suggested by Burton and De Vane, (1953). Heritability in broad sense and expected genetic advance as percent of mean were calculated according to the methods suggested by Allard, (1960) and Johnson et al., (1955), respectively. Correlation among different traits was estimated by the method as suggested by Searle, (1961). RESULTS TS AND DISCUSSION Analysis of variance for forty four genotypes of gladiolus revealed significant variation for most of the characters except number of corms per plant (Table 1). This suggested the presence of wide range of variability for different characters in the material studied. The data presented in Table-2 depicted wide range in days to 50% sprouting (7.17-29.0 days), plant height (72.41-128 cm), number of leaves per plant (6.17-11.67), length of leaves (26.67-61.20 cm), leaf area (23.35-62.03 cm), spike length Table 1 : The analysis of variance (ANOVA) among 15 characters in gladiolus. Characters d.f. Days Plant Number Length Leaf Spike Rachis Days Number Diameter NumberDiameter of Weight Number Cormels to 50% height of of leaves area length length to 50% of of florets of corms of corms of weight/plant sprouting (cm) leaves/plant (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) flowering florets/spike (cm) corms/plant (cm) per plant (gm)cormels/ plant (gm) Replication 2 2.166 154.562 1.233 6.482 17.289 129.125 87.031 86.187 0.7695 0.240 1.221 46.406 0.602 188.546 40.036 Treatments 43 64.961** 406.177** 28.376** 156.163** 252.417** 429.613** 194.321** 298.557** 1427.213** 1.671** 1.241 2924.967** 5.726** 2600.798** 438.287** Error 86 5.134 117.523 0.476 23.072 54.267 93.580 41.493 77.461 2.037 0.246 0.968 255.822 0.734 182.340 89.950 **; significant at 1%.
282 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST (61.67-115 cm), rachis length (35.83-67.00 cm), days to 50% flowering (70.76-126 days), number of florets per spike (9.93-17.40), diameter of florets (8.17-12.00 cm), number of corms per plant (1.00-4.83), diameter of corm (4.08-12.47 cm), weight of corms per plant (25.50-164.67 g), number of cormels per plant (6.03-161.30) and cormels weight per plant (1.77-60.67 g). The variability among genotypes for above quantitative traits may be attributed due to differences in their genetic constituents. Similar observations were also reported by Desh Raj and Mishra, (1996) in gladiolus. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all quantitative traits, indicating the predominant role of environment in the expression of the traits. Similar findings were also reported by Balamurugan et al., (2002). The estimates of PCV and GCV showed wide range with the ranging from 8.41 (PCV) and 6.83 (GCV) for diameter of florets to 127.33 (PCV) and 126.33 (GCV) for number of florets per spike. Heritability estimates is an informative parameters to the breeder for selecting the genotypes for further use. That range of heritability values are vary from 8.6 to 99.6%. The estimates of heritability were high for most of the traits i.e. number of florets per spike, number of leaves per plant, number of cormels per plant, days to 50% sprouting, weight of corms per plant, diameter of corm, length of leaves and diameter of floret, while low to moderate heritability were observed for number of corms per plant, plant height, days to 50% flowering, spike length, leaf area, rachis length and cormels weight per plant. Hemlata, et al., (1992) found the similar results in chrysanthemum. Heritability variation can be find out with greater degree of accuracy, if the heritability is coupled with genetic advance Johnson et al., (1955). The estimates of genetic advance as percent mean ranged from 8.11 to 261.22% for all the traits. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was obtained for days to 50% sprouting, number of leaves per plant, length of leaves, number of florets Table 2 : The estimate of mean, range, GCV, PCV, Heritability and Genetic advance for 15 characters in gladiolus. Character Mean Range G.C.V. P.C.V. h 2 Genetic Genetic advance advance as 5% mean Days to 50% sprouting 13.56 7.17-29.0 32.91 36.91 79.5 8.20 60.74 Plant height (cm) 104.326 72.41-128 9.40 14.01 45.0 13.56 12.99 Number of leaves/plant 8.315 6.17-11.67 36.67 37.60 95.1 6.13 73.76 Length of leaves (cm) 43.600 26.67-61.20 15.28 18.83 65.8 11.13 25.52 Leaf area (cm) 40.411 23.35-62.03 20.11 27.14 54.9 12.40 38.68 Spike length (cm) 86.938 61.67-115 12.17 16.49 54.5 16.09 18.50 Rachis length (cm) 49.973 35.83-67.00 14.28 19.24 55.1 10.92 21.85 Days to 50% flowering 104.85 70.76-126 8.19 11.73 48.8 12.35 11.77 Number of florets/spike 17.154 9.93-17.40 126.33 127.33 99.6 44.80 261.22 Diameter of florets (cm) 10.096 8.17-12.00 6.83 8.41 65.8 1.15 8.11 Number of corms/plant 1.525 1.00-4.83 19.78 67.48 8.6 0.18 11.84 Diameter of corm (cm) 6.426 4.08-12.47 20.07 24.10 69.3 2.21 34.42 Weight of corms/plant (gm) 80.439 25.50-164.67 37.08 42.08 77.7 54.15 67.30 Number of cormels/plant 30.591 6.03-161.30 92.81 102.77 81.6 52.82 172.67 Cormels weight/plant 14.246 1.77-60.67 75.64 100.76 56.3 16.66 116.99
Vol. 31, No. 4, 2011 283 Table 3 : The estimate of Genotypic and Phenotypic Correlation coefficient among 15 characters in gladiolus. Character Days to Plant Number of Length Leaf Spike Rachis Days to Number Diameter Number Diameter Weight Number Cormels 50% height leaves of area length length 50% of florets of of corms of of corm of weight sprouting (cm) /plant leaves (cm) (cm) (cm) flowering /spike florets / plant corms / plant comrmels /plant (cm) (cm) (cm) (gm) / plant Days to 50% sprouting G 0.126-0.238-0.224-0.023 0.275 0.377* 0.257-0.014 0.043 0.032-0.137-0.110-0.180-0.034 P.242-0.190-0.096-0.166 0.224 0.346 0.295-0.007 0.034 0.216-0.077-0.180-0.090 0.009 Plant height (cm) G 0.371* 0.245-0.080 0.797** 0.399* 0.313* 0.030 0.435* 0.070-0.242-0.368-0.041-0.294 P 0.310 0.364 0.293 0.767 0.499 0.538 0.039 0.122-0.540-0.027-0.474 0.039-0.040 Number of leaves/plant G -0.182 0.051 0.418* -0.022 0.122-0.061-0.016-0.032-0.294-0.240-0.172-0.152 P -0.105 0.111 0.363 0.015 0.138-0.056-0.017-0.087-0.238-0.225-0.137-0.077 Length of leaves (cm) G -0.073-0.009-0.361* 0.212-0.167 0.411* -0.127 0.449* 0.211-0.055 0.027 P 0.162 0.192-0.072 0.335-0.127 0.251-0.359 0.410-0.006-0.035 0.030 Leaf area (cm) G -0.103-0.144-0.235 0.144 0.421* 0.835** -0.197 0.251-0.269-0.117 P 0.223 0.104 0.024 0.124 0.264-0.267-0.030-0.030-0.145-0.004 Spike length (cm) G 0.415* 0.180 0.015 0.028 0.063-0.403* -0.361-0.084-0.402 P 0.559 0.417 0.007 0.073-0.450-0.162-0.421-0.009-0.143 Rachis length (cm) G 0.314* 0.106 0.034 0.293-0.637**-0.232 0.078-0.334* P 0.439 0.106-0.007-0.301-0.328 0.313 0.105-0.093 Days to 50% flowering G 0.002-0.317-0.035-0.289-0.181-0.047 0.010 P 0.016 0.110-0.617 0.001-0.383* 0.014 0.089 Number of florets/spike G -0.068-0.054-0.161-0.067-0.053-0.160 P -0.056-0.034-0.138-0.065 \-0.044-0.144 Diameter of florets (cm) G -0.299 0.115-0.012-0.118-0.285 P 0.016 0.099 0.052-0.126-0.168 Number of corms/plant G 0.199 0.124 0.166 0.277 P -0.138 0.412-0.035-0.047 Diameter of corm (cm) G 0.495 0.322* 0.053 P 0.311 0.238 0.054 Weight of corms/plant (gm) G 0.058-0.015 P -0.013 0.070 Number of cormels/plant G 0.411** P 0.437 Cormels weight/plant (gm) G P **,*; Significant at 1% and 5%, respectively
284 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST per spike, diameter of corm, weight of corms per plant, number of cormels per plant and cormels weight per plant indicating the contribution of additive gene effect in expression of these traits, which also emphasize the effectiveness of selection for these traits to improve economic yield. Bichoo et al., (2002) were also reported high heritability coupled with high genetic advance for number of florets per spike in gladiolus. Estimate of genotypic correlation coefficient among various characters in gladiolus indicating that most of the economic traits positive correlated (Table-3). Plant height was significantly and positively correlated with number of leaves per plant, spike length, rachis length, days to 50% flowering and diameter of floret. This is indicate that the plant height, which is an important trait for healthy spike production, could be increased by making the selection improve to associated characters. A significant positive association between spike length, plant height and number of florets was evidenced by Anuradha and Gowda, (1992) in gladiolus. However, plant height shows the non-significant positive and negative correlation in rest of the traits. Significant and positive correlation was found between other important characters i.e. days to 50% sprouting with rachis length, number of leaves per plant with spike length, length of leaves with diameter of floret and diameter of corm, leaf area with diameter of floret and number of corms per plant, spike length with rachis length, rachis length with days to 50% flowering, diameter of corm with number of cormels per plant and number of cormels per plant with cormels weight per plant. While, traits length of leaves with rachis length, spike length with diameter of corm, rachis length with diameter of corm and cormels weight per plant showed the significantly negative correlation. In general significant negative correlation between these traits implies these traits are independent in nature and could be improved independently through selection programme. Lone et al., (1999) also found significant negative correlation between number and weight of corms per plant. REFERENCES Allard, R. W. (1960). Principles of Plant Breeding. John Wiley and Sons. Inc., New York. pp. 83-108. Anuradha, S. O. and Gowda (1992). Phenotypic and genotypic correlation studies in gladiolus. Crop Res., 5 (2) : 384-386. Bichoo., G. A., Johan, A. Q. and Wani, S. A. (2002). Correlation studies in gladiolus. J. Ornamental Horticulture, 5 (1) : 25-27. Balamurugan, Rengasamy, P. and Arumugam, T. (2002). Variability studies in gladiolus. J. Ornamental Hort., 5 (1) : 38-39. Burton, G. W. and DeVane, E. W. (1953). Estimated heritability in tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae) from replicated clonal material. Agronomy J., 45 : 478-481. Desh Raj and Mishra, R. L. (1996). Genetic variability in gladiolus. J. Ornamental Hort., 4 (1-2) :8. Hemlata, B., Patil, A. A. and Nalawadi, U. G. (1992). Variability studies in chrysanthemum. Prog. Hort., 24 (1-2) :55-59. Johnson, H. W., Robinson, H. F. and Comstock, R. E. (1955). Estimates of genetic and environmental variability in soyabean. Agron J., 47 : 314-318. Lone, S. U. D., Wani, S. A., Zarger, G. H. and Nehvi, F. A. (1999). Correlation and path coefficient analysis for some important traits in different gladiolus cultivars grown under Kashmir Valley conditions. Flora and Fauna, 5 (2) : 104-106. Mishra, R. L. (1977). Delhi Garden Mag., pp 20-25. Panse, V. G. and Sukhatme, P. V. (1967). Statistical Methods for Agricultural Workers, 2 nd ICAR publication, New Delhi. Searle, S. R. (1961). Phenotypic, genotypic and environmental correlation. Biometrics, 17 : 474-480.