Genetic Variability, Heritability and Correlation in Some Faba Bean Genotypes under Different Sowing Dates

2 Abstract: The study was carried out in two successive winter seasons 2012/13 and 13/2014 in order to determine genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and correlation coefficients for yield and its contributing parameters in 10 faba bean genotypes, (Nubaria 1, Nubaria 2, Nubaria 3, Misr 3, Sakha 4, Giza 843, Wade1, Line15, Line 25 and Line 28) grown in three sowing dates at El-Mattana Research Station, Esna, Luxor Governorate. Results revealed that the studied genotypes significantly differed for all traits studied in the two seasons except, plant height and No. of branches/plant in the first season. Analysis of variance for studied traits showed significant differences among the genotypes. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was observed for days to flowering, plant height and seed weight/plant (g) in the second season, No.of seeds/plant in the first and second season. Medium PCV was observed for days to maturity and No. of pods/plant in the first and second season, respectively, plant height and seed weight/plant in the first season, but the remaining traits showed low PCV values. High genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) were observed for plant height and seed weight/plant in the second season and number of seeds per plant in both seasons. High GCV value of characters suggested the possibility of improving these traits through selection. Moderate genotypic coefficients of variation were estimated for days to maturity and No. of pods/plant in both seasons, plant height and seed weight/plant in the first season. Low GCV was observed for days to flowering in the first season, No. of branches and seed yield in both seasons. Results revealed moderate GCV and PCV estimates indicating that there is a possibility of improvement of genotypes for these traits. The values of phenotypic coefficient variation for most characters were close to the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation values indicating little environment effect on the expression of these characters. The highest estimates of broad sense heritability (Hbs) were obtained for all studied traits. Heritability values for days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches, No. of pods/plant, No. of seeds /plant, seed weight/plant and seed yield/plot, respectively. Meanwhile, the same traits in the second season were relatively high indicating that selection based on mean would be successful n improving these traits. High heritability estimates along with high genetic advance for seed yield/plot in the both seasons indicating an additive gene action in its inheritance. Significant positive correlations were detected between seed yield/plant and each of days to maturity, No. of pods per plant, No. of seeds per plant, No.of branches/plant in the two seasons and plant height in the second season only. These findings indicated that selection for days to maturity, No. of pods, seeds and branches per plant would be accompanied by high yielding ability under such conditions. Seed yield/ plot (kg) as effected by sowing dates indicated that the highest values (2.49 and 2.41 kg) for this trait was recorded at the medium sowing date in the first and the second season, respectively, while the lowest values for the trait was produced (2.10 and 2.19 kg) on the latest sowing date in the first and the second season, respectively.