Assessment of Yield, Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance in Ten Genotypes of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in South-East Nigeria

Abstract

Ten genotypes of Groundnut (A. hypogaea) were assessed for yield and yield components in a randomized complete block design with three replicates at the Research Farm of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in 2018 and 2019. In each year, the experiment consisted of 30 plots, each measuring 1m by 1m with a distance of 1m separating the plots and blocks. Seeds were planted at intra and inter-row spacing of 0.5m to give a population of 40,000 plants^-1. Data were collected on the number of leaves plant^-1, number of branches plant^-1, length of branches plant^-1, days to flowering plant^-1, number of pods plant^-1, the weight of pods plant^-1, number of seeds plant^-1, the weight of seeds plant^-1, 100 seed weight, pod yield^-1 and seed yield^-1. Analysis of variance showed that the genotypes were significantly different (P<0.01) in all the characters studied.  In both years the number of leaves plant^-1, number of seeds plant^-1, 100 seed weight, the weight of seeds plant^-1 and pod yield^-1 were positive and highly significant (p<0.01) with seed yield^-1. Enormous variability existed among the genotypes of A. hypogaea as shown by the genetic component analysis. Genotypes with a high genotypic coefficient of variation, a high broad sense heritability estimates and a high genetic advance for the number of leaves plant^-1, the number of seeds plant^-1, 100 seed weight, the weight of seedplant^-1, pod yield^-1 and seed yield^-1 could be selected for improvement in seed yield of A. hypogaea. High genetic gain (faster progress) could be expected from selection based on the number of leaves plant^-1, the number of branches plant^-1 and the weight of seeds plant^-1 because they are predominantly under the control of addictive genes.