Visualizing Components of Seed Yield to Identify Plant Ideotype in Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

The yields of pulse crops in general and fieldpea in particular have stagnated hence a study was undertaken to suggest a model plant type in fieldpea utilizing F₄ populations of six crosses. Observations were recorded for nine traits on 120 randomly selected plants in each cross to work out genetic variability and phenotypic correlations which were further utilized for drawing the inferences to shape out an ideal plant type. Based on these, the model fieldpea plant with a combination of characteristics such as leafiness more number of primary branches and pods per plant, longer pods, with higher number of seeds per pod, round and large seed size was envisaged. The effect of different qualitative traits on yield contributing characters revealed that leafy and round seeded plants could be favorable components of high yield.