DEVELOPING TOBACCO CULTIVARS FOR HIGH SEED YIELD, HIGH BIOMASS AND OTHER PHYTO-CHEMICALS

Abstract

Tobacco is a one of the important high value commercial crop grown in India. It is the economic lifeline of millions of people, including six million farmers and traditionally used for smoking and chewing purposes. However, worldwide anti-tobacco campaign posing a serious challenge to continuation of tobacco for its traditional uses. In view of this, research efforts are made at ICAR-CTRI, Rajahmundry towards exploring tobacco for its nonconventional and economically viable alternative uses. In the present study, two sets of 28 crosses each and their parents were evaluated for exploiting them for alternative uses of tobacco. Variability was observed for various characters recorded in both set one and set two crosses and parents. In set one, minimum values for number of primary branches, secondary branches, weight of single capsule and seed yield were found to be lower and maximum values were higher in crosses than parents suggesting epistatic effects. With around 21% improvement in total seed weight per ha, the cross EC.554900 X A-145 can be a choice cross in set one for seed yield improvement through its direct use or pedigree breeding for selecting high yielding sergeants. In set two, both minimum and maximum values under green leaf and total biomass were high in crosses than parents indicating dominance or positive epistasis. Reduction was observed in both minimum and maximum values for contents of nicotine, solanesol and protein in set two indicating negative epistasis or additive effects. However, minimum values for various parameters were observed to be lower and maximum values were higher for per hectare yields of nicotine, total solanesol and total protein (marginally) in set two crosses than parents. In set two, the crosses NP-19 X VDH-3 (24351 kg/ha) HDBRG X Abirami (24220 kg/ha) and HDBRG X NP-19 (24099 kg/ha) can be exploited for high biomass yields. While, the crosses, HDBRG X VDH-3 (33.51 kg/ha) and Abirami X NP-19 (33.98 kg/ha) with higher total solanesol may be promising crosses. Thus, the present study indicated the existence of variability for biomass yield, seed yield and phytochemicals such nicotine, solanesol and protein content which can be exploited through appropriate breeding programmes.