Abstract

                                Coheritability of different pairs of characters and selection indices for seed yield were determined in 39 different strains of linseed. All characters were found to have higher coheritability value with yield per plant than the heritability of yield per plant except tillers per plant and plant height. Coheritability value was found high in seed yield with plant height while it showed decrease in seed yield with tillers per plant over the heritability of plant height and tillers per plant, respectively. Selection criteria on the basis of high coheritability value exhibited by a character pair involving yield was formed. The characters like days to flowering and maturity, seed weight, capsule length and breadth, seeds per capsule, capsules per plant and seed yield were suggested for yield improvement where as simultaneous selection for tillers per plant and plant height could lead to gain in yield. All single characters indices possessed low effi- ciency as compared to that of straight selection for seed yield. Two characters selec- tion indices based on seed yield with seeds per capsule, tillers per plant, plant height, 1000 seed weight and capsule per plant showed increased efficiency over straight selection for seed yield. The selection indices based on three, four, five and six characters showed increase efficiency in sequence with the addition of each charac ter over previous index except three characters index under study.

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