Genetic variability studies for physiological, yield and yield contributing traits in lsquo;Brsquo; and lsquo;Rrsquo; lines of kharif sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

The experimental trial was conducted at the Sorghum Research Station, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during the kharif season of 2023-24. A total of 29 lines (12B and 17R lines) were examined in a randomized block design with two replications to study genetic variability and mean performance for fifteen physiological, yield and yield contributing traits. Significant differences among all fifteen characters were observed for total 29 lines. Genotypic coefficient of variance was lower than the phenotypic coefficient of variance for all traits though the differences between them were relatively small. High estimates of both genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variance were observed for traits such as leaf area, flag leaf area and leaf area index. Moderate values were found for plant height, number of primaries per panicle, diameter of earhead, earhead length, grain yield per plant, 100 seed weight, fodder yield per plant, harvest index and flag leaf length. Lower values were recorded for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and SCMR (SPAD) value. Traits such as diameter of earhead, earhead length, grain yield per plant, 100 seed weight, fodder yield per plant, harvest index, flag leaf length, leaf area, flag leaf area and leaf area index demonstrated high heritability and high genetic advance as a percentage of mean indicating that selection for these traits in genetically diverse materials could lead to significant genetic improvement.