GENETIC-PARAMETERS AND CHARACTER ASSOCIATION IN SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS-ANNUS L)

A study of genetic parameters and character association in sixteen entries of sunflower revealed significant differences for seed yield and five other characters except diameter of head. Considerable genotypic and phenotypic variations are found for seed yield per plant, seeds per head and plant height. Heritability values were high for days to maturity (74.25%), plant height (70.23%), days to flowering (62.78%) and seed yield per plant (54.94%). Genetic advance in percentage of mean was also high for seed yield per plant (35.49), plant height (21.49) and seeds per head (20.25). Seed yield per plant had high genotypic and phenotypic corretation with seeds per head, diameter of head and 1000-seed weight. Genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than corresponding phenotypic and environmental correlation in all the cases. Seeds per head had a high positive direct effect on seed yield per plant followed by 100-seed weight. This study suggested that seeds per head and 1000-seed weight are the most important characters contributing to higher yield per plant and simultaneous selection is possible for these characters.