Genetic Relationships and Principal Component Analysis in Elite Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes for Seed Yield and Its Component Traits

Background: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the important Rabi season food legume crop ranked third after common bean and field pea. The degree and extent of trait variability, genetic relationship and genetic diversity in promising chickpea genotypes should be known for possible yield improvement. Realizing the importance of genetic relationships and genetic diversity in key economic traits, the present investigation envisaged to measure the genetic relationships in the yield component traits to make effective selection for yield improvement in chickpea breeding programme. Methods: The experimental material comprised of 60 chickpea genotypes (both Desi and Kabuli types), grown in RBD with three replications at Pulses Section of Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCSHAU, Hisar during Rabi 2014-15. The data on 11 quantitative traits was analysed for ANOVA, correlation coefficient, path coefficient, regression and principle component analysis. Result: The present study has led the understanding of many inter-related traits involved in the genetic variation of chickpea seed yield. This would certainly provide guidelines for selection of parents as well as effective selection of promising chickpea genotypes, and also have paramount importance in formulating plant model for selection of segregating generations in chickpea breeding programmes for development of high yielding varieties.