Genetic architecture of grain yield and component traits in soybean sown under temperate condition in Kashmir valley

An experiment was carried out to estimate selection parameters for yield and its component traits in soybean involving 17 genotypes namely VL Soya-21, Sel-3, Sel-1, J S 335, Hara Soya, Bragg, MADS-47, Him Soya-1601, Sel-4, VL Soya-2, NRC-12, Palam Soya, Punjab-1, Shiwalik, Selection-2, Him Soya-580 and NRC-37. Each entry was sown in randomized block design with three replications during Kharief season 2006 and 2007 at Faculty Research Farm and observations were recorded on eight quantitative traits namely, days to 50% flowering, plant height, pods/plant, pod length, no. of branches bearing fruits, no. of clusters/plant, 100 grain weight and plot yield. The maximum genotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for grain yield/plot followed by 100 grain weight. Heritability estimates were higher for 100 grain weight (93.27) followed by Days to 50% flowering (90.03) and Plot yield (87.33). The estimate of correlation coefficients showed significant and positive association of seed yield with no. of clusters/plant at genotypic level and 100 grain weight both at genotypic and phenotypic level. Path analysis revealed that no. of pods/plant followed by no. of clusters/plant had the highest direct contribution towards grain yield. The present study thus suggested that these traits are the most important yield contributing traits for selection of the superior genotypes in soybean.