Assessment of Genetic Variability for Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.)

The experimental material for the genetic variability comprised of 50 indigenous genotypes of finger millet collected from All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Small Millets ZARS, Kolhapur. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The data on 13 quantitative traits were recorded to assess the magnitude of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for yield and yield contributing traits. The GCV and PCV both were observed to be high for protein content, length of finger, grain yield per plant, ear weight per plant, iron content,. Thus, these characters provide good source of variation and hence can be used in crop improvement programme in finger millet. High heritability estimates were obtained for almost all the characters. Therefore, there is scope for improvement of iron content, days to maturity, 1000-seed weight, protein content, days to 50 per cent flowering and length of finger. Based on per se performance of genotypes KOPU-1179, KOPN-1174, KOPN-1166, KOPN-1180 and KOPN-1172 were found promising for yield and yield attributing traits and can be used as potential parent in future crop improvement.