Genetic Variability, Heritability and Correlation Study of Physiological and Yield Traits in Relation to Heat Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Twenty genotypes of wheat were undertaken for assessment of direct selection parameters (variability, heritability, and genetic advance), indirect selection parameter (correlation) and their relation with heat tolerance. This investigation was carried out at the Agriculture Research Farm of Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi during the Rabi season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 in randomized block design with 3 replications. Observations were recorded on grain yield and its related traits, viz., days to heading, days to anthesis, days to maturity, grains per spike, 1000 grain weight. Besides these, chlorophyll content at heading and at anthesis stages as well as canopy temperature depression (CTD) from vegetative stage to dough stages were studied. All the traits like days to heading, days to anthesis, days to maturity and 1000 grain weight exhibited high heritability, which was coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for 1000 grain weight and yield per plot. That indicated effectiveness of selection for the improvement of these traits.