AN ASSESSMENT OF VARIABILITY FOR ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT TRAITS IN CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.)

Two hundred and nineteen chickpea genotypes were studied for genetic variability in qualitative and quantitative traits of economic importance. The experiment was planted in RCBD with 2 replications. Results revealed highly significant differences for plant height (cm), number of primary and number of secondary branches, number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight (gm), biological yield per plant (g), harvest index and grain yield/plant. A considerable variation between genotypes for qualitative traits such as growth habit, seed shape and testa texture was also recorded. The correlation coefficients of primary branches, secondary branches, pods per plant, biological yield and harvest index with grain yield were positive and highly significant. However, days to maturity were negatively correlated with grain yield. Genetic variability for plant height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, number of pods per plant and total biological yield respectively ranged from 40 – 90 cm, 1.5 – 6.5, 1.1 – 15.5, 1-75 and 1.5 – 50.5 g/plant. Whereas grain yield per plant varied from 5.5 – 25.5g, and harvest index ranged from 10 – 70. The variation for days to flowering was in the range of 120 – 150. The variation revealed in this study would be exploited in breeding programs aimed at development of high yielding genotypes.