Genetic variation for Vegetative and Reproductive Traits in Mulberry (Morus spp) Accessions

Aims: To assess genetic variability for vegetative and reproductive traits in different seasons.

Study Design: Field experimental design was used.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in different seasons during 2019-20 at Department of Sericulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore.

Methodology: The present study comprised of Seventy one mulberry accessions.

Results: The mean performance of leaf moisture content (64.41 & 55.42%) and leaf yield (1268.71 & 872.21g) in rainy and winter season, respectively. There are large differences were observed between the minimum and maximum range leaf moisture content was varied from 45.16 to 78.51 per cent and leaf yield was varied from 235.90 to 29008.89 during rainy season. In winter season the range of leaf moisture content was varied from 15.28 to 72.35 per cent and leaf yield was varied from 94.43 to 2975.00 g. Phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV %) was found to be higher than the respective genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV %) for all the characters denoting variability among genotypes in both the seasons. Estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variations were high for leaf yield per plant (98.63, 98.49%) and (89.69, 89.62%) in rainy and winter season, respectively. Maximum heritability was observed for leaf yield per plant (99.71 %), (99.85 %) in rainy and winter season, respectively. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean in respect of number of days for first flower initiation, plant height and single leaf area at 45th, 60th, and 75th DAP, number of branches, leaf moisture content and leaf yield per plant was observed in rainy and winter seasons.