Effects of selective intermating in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) for crop improvement

Abstract

The effects of intermating in F2 generation on mean, genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in two crosses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (WH 542/WH 1080) and (WH 1105/RAJ 3765//WH 283) were studied. The mean and genetic advance of all the seven characters, viz. days to heading, plant height (cm), number of effective tillers, number of grains/ear, 1000 grain weight (g), biological yield/plant (g), grain yield/plant (g) were increased after first cycle of intermating. Second cycle of intermating further showed its positive impact on mean, genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance. In this study the intermated population produced progenies which out yielded the F2 population indicating the superiority of intermating over the F2 in generating superior performing progenies. The result indicated that the intermated populations are potential candidates for further selection to improve the grain yield in bread wheat and may prove highly useful in generating promising wheat genotypes having desirable quality traits and stress tolerance.