Evaluation of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genotypes for genetic variability based on different traits under rainfed conditions.

The present study was conducted to evaluate 24 sesame genotypes under rainfed conditions to determine the magnitude of variability and to understand the heritable component of variation for 10 agro-morphological characters. Analysis of variance revealed considerable variability among all the characters studied. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was greater than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the characters studied, this shows the influence of the environmental effect on the characters. High genetic advance coupled with high heritability (broad sense) were observed for number of branches/plants, biological yield/plant, harvest index and seed yield/plant as these characters were controlled by additive gene effects, and selection based on these characters would be effective for future sesame crop improvement programme for rainfed agriculture.