Studies on Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaeae L.)

Crosses were made to develop a foliar disease resistant groundnut lines with acceptable pod and kernel traits using TMV 2 and three foliar disease resistant parents. Three F2 cross derivatives and their four parents were used to study their mean performance, genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance as percentage of mean for yield and contributing characters. Among the crosses, TMV2 x COG0437 had higher mean performance for all the characters followed by TMV2 x COG 438. Higher PCV and GCV values were also recorded by this cross. The cross TMV2 x COG0437 had high heritability and high to moderate GAM for most of characters followed by TMV2 x COG0438. Hence, based on mean and variability parameters, TMV2 x COG437 is adjudged as best cross combination for further selection programme to evolve a promising progeny.