Studies on genetic variability parameters were carried out in Quality Protein Maize (QPM) genotypes at AICRP on maize Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan and in kharif 2014 for 15 various traits like days to 50 per cent tasseling, days to 50 per cent silking, anthesis silking interval, days to 75 per cent brown husk, plant height, ear height, ear length, 100-grain weight, grain yield per plant, harvest index, oil content, starch content, protein content, tryptophan content and lysine content in QPM genotypes. The experimental material consisting of 18 lines and 4 standard checks viz., Pratap QPM hybrid-1, Vivek QPM-9, HQPM-1 and HQPM-5 was raised in randomized block design in three replications. In the present investigation significant differences between the test entries were observed for all the yield and yield contributing traits and quality parameters. The grain yield per plant had highly significant and positive correlations both at genotypic and phenotypic levels with 100-grain weight (r g =0.863, r p =0.829), starch content (r g =0.657, r p =0.649), harvest index (r g =0.529, r p =0.504), lysine Content (r g =0.518, r p =0.486), ear length (r g =0.476, r p =0.463), tryptophan content (r g =0.468, r p =0.457) and ear height (r g =0.351, r p =0.339). The highest positive and direct effect was found for days to 50% tasseling (5.559) followed by lysine content (0.710) and starch content (0.439). The negative and direct effect was found for days to 50% silking (-5.774) and plant height (-0.331).

Pooled analysis of 8 genotypes of wheat of diverse origin, their 28 F1s and 2 checks was carried out in 4 different environments to study the combining ability in bread wheat for grain yield and its component traits. On pooled basis, analysis of variance due to GCA and SCA was significant for all characters revealed difference between parents for GCA and difference between crosses for SCA. Similarly, mean square due to GCA × E was significant for number of effective tillers per plant and flag leaf area revealed influence of environment on GCA. Whereas SCA × E was also significant for number of effective tillers per plant and grain yield per plant revealed influence of environment on SCA. The variance due to GCA was higher than their respective SCA for all characters except number of grains per spike indicating that additive type of gene action played role in the expression of all these traits. Significant GCA effects for grain yield and its component traits were exhibited by the parents HD 2987, Lok 1 and HI 1544. Fourteen crosses recorded showed significant SCA effects for grain yield and related traits.

A diallel method was employed in which eight genotypically diverse lines of mungbean were crossed among themselves in all possible combinations excluding reciprocals. The mean square due to general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were significant for all the characters except mean square due to (SCA) for clusters per plant and seed yield per plant indicating importance of both additive as well as non-additive gene action. The estimates of variances due to specific combining ability were higher than general combining ability for all the traits except days to 50 % flowering, primary branches per plant, clusters per plant and seed yield per plant pointed out to be the preponderance of non-additive gene effects in the expression of these characters. Whereas predictability ratios were greater than the value of 0.5 for days to 50 % flowering, primary branches per plant, clusters per plant and seed yield per plant indicating the predominance of additive gene action for these characters. However, predictability ratio exhibited less than 0.5 values for rest of the characters indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action. The good general combiners for seed yield per plant were BM-4, PDM-139, ML-131, and IPM 99-125. The best specific cross combinations wereRMG-344 x RMG-1045, RMG-1035 x RMG-1045 and BM-4 x PDM-139. showed the highest positive significant SCA effect for seed yield per plant. These cross combinations could be utilized for further use in breeding programme for improvement in yield of mungbean.

Genetic parameters, variability, heritability and genetic advance were studied among 20 genotypes of chickpea during during rabi 2012-13. The characters, seed yield per plant and 100-seed weight had high values of GCV, heritability and GAM and were found to be under greater control of additive gene action. While the traits, primary branches per plant, number of seeds per pod and protein content with moderate to low heritability coupled with low genetic advance appear to be more affected by on non-additive gene action. Correlation and path coefficient analysis for seed yield per plant and its components indicated that out of 11 characters, seed yield per plant showed significant and positive correlation with harvest index, number of seeds per pod, primary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, biomass per plant, and 100-seed weight indicating that an intense selection for these characters will improve seed yield in chickpea. Path coefficient analysis revealed that days to maturity, primary branches per plant, biomass per plant, harvest index, protein content and number of seeds per pod were major characters influencing seed yield directly and indirectly. The results indicated that number of seeds per pod should be given greater emphasis for manipulation of seed yield in chickpea.

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