Genetic studies through generation mean analysis in chickpea under timely and delayed planting

Afield experiment was conducted to study gene effects by using 6 generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2) of each of four crosses (RSG-973 × HC-5, RSG-963 × RSG-973, CSJD-884 × Avrodhi and RSG-974 × CSJ-515). The G × E interaction was found significant in each cross for all characters. The mean performance was greater for every character in every generation of every cross under timely sowing compared to late sowing conditions. The environment and the genetic constitution of parents used in the crosses affected the magnitude as well asthe direction of the various components of the gene (d, h, i, j, and l) in the majority of cases. Duplicate epistasis was more prevalent than complementary epistasis. The magnitude of dominance effects and epistasis effects were observed higher than additive and main effects, respectively. Under both conditions, mostly crosses for various traits showed the prevalence of nonadditive type of gene effects (h, j, and l).