Implications of Gene Actions for Different Qualitative and Quantitative Traits in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract

The ninety crosses were evaluated for 27 qualitative and quantitative traits to study the different gene actions, genetic variances, heritability and genetic advances involved in parents and in their off springs. The analysis of variance showed highly significant differences present among all the treatments for all quantitative and qualitative traits. The estimates of genetic component of variances together with related genetic parameters indicated that the magnitude of SCA variances was more pronounced than their corresponding GCA variances for majority of the traits for all testers and lines in both generations which suggested the role of non-additive gene action in the inheritance of these traits. The information obtained from the present study exhibited most of the traits had high value of σ²s than σ²g and over dominance gene action so, it is necessary to maintain the heterozygosity in the population for the improvement purposes. The non-additive genetic variability is non-fixable in nature thus the breeding methods such as biparental mating followed by recurrent selection may accelerate the genetic improvement for the traits sought to be improved.