Abstract

A global composite collection of finger millet germplasm which included ICRISAT core collection was evaluated for fifteen quantitative characters in augmented design with four control cultivars during 2007 rainy season. The objectives were to assess the variability and association between the characters related to yield. The genotypic variances were highly significant for all characters except plot yield. Plot yield exhibited the highest range (0.02 – 2.6 t ha-1). The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variations varied from 9.59 to 57.13% and 11.14 to 64.96% respectively. Heritability estimates ranged from 37.01% for single panicle weight to 98.34% for days to 50 percent flowering. Plot yield was strongly associated positively with productive tillers, number of fingers and days to 50 percent flowering. Generally, the result revealed the existence of variability for the characters studied in finger millet genotypes.

Keywords: Finger millet, genetic variablity, correlation analysis.