Assessment of genetic variability and genetic parameters of morphological and agro-physiological traits in Camelina sativa (L.)

Abstract

: The present investigation was done to evaluate genetic variability and estimation of genetic parameters of morphological and agrophysiological traits in Camelina sativa (L.) using biometrical genetic techniques. For this purpose, 136 Camelina doubled haploid line genotypes were assessed in a randomized complete blocks design with three replicates in the Field Research, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, during the 2014–2015 cropping season. The results of the analysis of variance showed significant differences between the genotypes for all studied traits. High estimates of genetic gain and broad-sense heritability were observed for the number of pods per plant, the number of pods per main branch plant and the weight of 1000 seeds indicating high genetic potential, a low effect of environment and the predominant role of additive gene effect on their expression. The number of pods per plant, biological yield, shoot weight, and pod straw weight showed the highest genetic positive correlation with kernel yield. Some agronomic traits such as the number of pods per plant, number of pods per main branch plant, biological yield, root weight, shoots weight, pod straw weight and the number of lateral branches showed the highest phenotypic positive correlation with kernel yield. Moreover, the highest genotypic and phenotypic covariance was observed for kernel yield with the number of pods per plant, the number of pods per main branch plant, biological yield, plant height with roots, shoots weight, and length of lateral branch, respectively. We observed the highest environmental covariance of kernel yield with biological yield. High coheritability was observed between seed length and root weight, seed length and plant height, the number of pods per lateral branch and the number of seeds per pod, kernel yield and seed length, plant height and weight of 1000 seeds. This suggests the selection of either of the traits would simultaneously affect the others, positively.