Fifty accessions of sunflower germplasm were characterized and evaluated for seed yield and its components traits to study the variability present among different germplasm lines. Significant amount of genetic variability was observed for all the characters under study. Seed yield and hull content were identified for highest genotypic (27.08 and 20.14%, respectively) and phenotypic coefficients of variation (27.89 and 20.64%, respectively) and also for high heritability (97.46 and 97.28%, respectively) coupled with high genetic advance (52.19 and 40.49%, respectively) over mean followed by duration of reproductive phase, oil content, 100-seed weight and plant height. Qualitative traits also showed wide variation among the accessions. Majority of the accessions were early in flowering, medium in maturity and medium in head diameter. Among all the accessions, ten lines were observed with short height and ten lines showed high oil content (> 40%). Maximum genetic distance was observed between the accessions EC-601800 and EC- 512687 and utilization of these accessions has been advocated in breeding programme. The results of the present study can be useful for the formation of data base and reference lines, genotype identification and will also be helpful in amplification of future sunflower improvement programme.

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Understanding the mode of gene action that controls seed yield and Sclerotinia stem rot resistance in Indian mustard is critical for boosting yield potential. In a line × tester mating design, ten susceptible lines and four resistant testers were used to conduct genetic analysis. The significance of general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) variances revealed that both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in the inheritance of Sclerotinia stem rot resistance and yield attributing traits. In addition to 1000-seed weight and number of primary and secondary branches/plant, the genotypes RH 1569 (line) and DRMR 2035 (tester) appeared to be the strongest general combiners for Sclerotinia stem rot resistance. RH 1657 × EC 597317 was the only cross among several that demonstrated a significant desired SCA value for Sclerotinia rot resistance. Regarding SCA effects for yield and component traits, the cross RH 1658 × EC 597328 performed best, with a non-significant but acceptable negative SCA effect for resistance. DRMR 2035, RH 1222-28, RH 1569, RH 1599-41, RH 1657, RH 1658, and EC 597328 are promising genotypes to use as parents in future heterosis breeding and for obtaining populations with high yield potential and greater resistance to Sclerotinia stem rot disease in Indian mustard, based on GCA effects of parents, per se performance, and SCA effects of hybrids. Days to 50% flowering, number of primary branches/plant, main shoot length, and 1000-seed weight all had a high genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV), broad-sense heritability (h2bs), and genetic advance as percent of the mean (GAM) values, as well as significant and desirable correlations and direct effects on seed yield. As a result, these traits have been recognized as the most critical selection criterion for Indian mustard breeding programs.

This research was conducted to study the genetic relationship between eleven quantitative traits of 95 Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes. The experiment material was evaluated in paired rows of 4 m length at Research Area of Oilseeds Section, Department of Genetics and plant breeding, CCS HAU, Hisar during Rabi, 2017-18. All the recommended package of practices was followed to raise the healthy crop. Maximum variation was observed for seed yield per plant followed by the number of secondary branches per plant, the number of primary branches per plant, 1000-seed weight and the number of siliqua on main shoot. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield per plant was positively and significantly associated with plant height, the number of primary and secondary branches per plant, and the number of siliqua on main shoot length. Selection based on these traits would ultimately improve seed yield. Four ideal genotypes viz., DRMRIJ-14-261, DRMRIJ-15-52, DRMRIJ-15-148 and M 5 were identified for the traits such as medium maturity, the number of primary branches per plant, the number of seeds per siliqua and 1000-seed weight in this study. These genotypes can be used as source lines in breeding programme for obtaining desirable segregates. Keywords Descriptive statistics, genetic relationship and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.

Genetic divergence using D 2 statistics was assessed for 13 different traits in a collection of 75 exotic and indigenous Indian mustard lines at CCS HAU Hisar. Based on genetic diversity, all were grouped into 15 clusters, of which cluster I had the maximum of 46 genotypes, followed by cluster V (8 genotypes), cluster III (7 genotypes) and cluster XII (3 genotypes). The remaining 11 clusters, i.e., cluster II, cluster IV, cluster VI, cluster VII, cluster VIII, cluster IX, cluster X, cluster XI, cluster XIII, cluster XIV and cluster XV, had only one genotype each. Cluster XII showed the maximum intra-cluster distance (15.51), while the maximum inter-cluster distance between cluster XII and cluster XV was observed (38.15). The maximum contribution to genetic divergence was recorded for the trait 1000-seed weight (33.26%) followed by days to 50 per cent flowering (26.09%), oil content (23.93%), days to maturity (26.09%) and seed yield per plant (% ). The genotypes IC-570302, IC-520747, IC-122427, EC-766480, RH 0749, EC-766040 and IC-470935, were observed promising for most of the important yield traits based upon high cluster means. The use of these genotypes was suggested in the crossing programme for further improvement in Indian mustard.