Analysis of Quantitative Traits and Estimation of Heritability in Early Generations of a Single Cross in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill)

Abstract

Genetic variability and heritability of quantitative traits, particularly of yield contributing traits, are of great importance in understanding phenotypic variation and the heritable portion of the variation when making selection choices. In the present study, the heritability for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height at maturity, total number of pods per plant, number-filled pods per plant, 100-seed weight, and grain yield per plant were estimated by variance components from variance analysis of parents and F2 and F2:3 progeny families derived from a single cross. Heritability estimates were high for days to 50% flowering and 100-seed weight, moderate for the number of pods per plant and number of filled pods per plant, and low for seed weight per plant. These results suggested that in the early segregating generations, direct selection for seed size, plant height, and a number of pods per plant might be more efficient than the direct selection for seed yield.