MULTIYEAR EVALUATION OF FRESH SEED DORMANCY AND POD YIELD IN GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGEA L.)

Abstract

Breeding for fresh seed dormancy in Spanish groundnut is important in regions where sudden rainfall occurs to minimize yield losses due to pre harvest sprouting. GGE biplot analysis was used to assess the G×E interaction effects and stability of 14 Spanish groundnut breeding lines and five check varieties evaluated for pod yield and fresh seed dormancy during kharif and Rabi/summer seasons of 2019, 2020 and 2021. The cumulative contribution of environment and GEI component to the total variance was highest in the expression of pod yield (68%) followed by hundred kernel weight (58%) and hundred pod weight (48%). Pod yield and hundred pod yield showed moderate heritability, whereas hundred kernel weight and % sound mature kernel showed high heritability estimates. Trait specific breeding lines identified based on stability analysis are PBS 16023, PBS 16033 and PBS 14060 for hundred kernel weight: PBS 11077, PBS 14064, PBS 16033 and PBS 14060 for hundred pod weight and PBS 16023, PBS 11077 and PBS 15022 for sound mature kernel (%). Based on pooled mean values and stability analysis of intensity of dormancy and % germination at 7, 14 and 21 days interval for three years, identified five Spanish breeding line PBS 14068, PBS 16023, PBS 11077, PBS 14060, PBS 14014 and PBS 14064 showing fresh seed dormancy (21 days) and higher pod yield.