Genetics architecture of seed yield and its components in sesame (sesamum indicum L.) over environments

The present investigation entitled “Genetics architecture of seed yield and its components in sesame (sesamum indicum L.) over environments” was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, J.A.U., Amreli and Department of Seed Science and
Technology, College of Agriculture, Sagadividi Farm, J.A.U., Junagadh.

The experimental material comprised of four females as testers viz., AT-285, G.Til-1, G.Til-10 and RT-54 and ten males as lines namely AT-253, AT-265, AT-306, AT-307, AT-319, AT-322, AT-341, Bhuva-2, Khadkala-S and IS-209 and their 40 hybrids derived from line x tester mating design. These 56 genotypes along with a two checks, G.Til-2 and G.Til-3 were evaluated in a four environments were created through different time and location for sowing during summer 2016 i.e., E1= Timely sowing 3rd
week of February at Amreli (20th February), E2= Timely sowing 3rd week of February at Junagadh (20th February), E3= Late sowing 2nd week of March at Amreli (10th March), and E4= Late sowing 2nd week of March at Junagadh (10th March). The
observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants from parents and crosses for nineteen characters viz., days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), height to first capsule (cm), number of branches per plant, number of internodes per plant, length of capsule (cm), width of capsule (cm), number of capsules per plant, number of capsules per leaf axil, number of seeds per capsule, 100-seed weight (g), oil content (%), protein content (%), seed yield per plant (g), biological yield per plant (g), harvest index (%), leaf area at 60 days and chlorophyll content at 60 days.

As a future strategies, the crosses viz., AT-319 x G.Til-10, AT-322 x G.Til-10, AT-341 x G.Til-10 and AT-306 x G.Til-10 which displayed high per se performance, high standard heterosis, high heterobeltiosis and exhibited high sca effect for seed yield per plant may be further tested over years under multilocational testing to identify stable and high yielding hybrids for yield advancement in sesame.