Genetic analysis for forage and seed yield traits and molecular characterization for powdery mildew resistance on oat Avena sativa L

Abstract

The present investigation entitled, Genetic analysis for various forage and seed yield traits and molecular characterization for powdery mildew resistance on oat was undertaken to identify the promising and stable oat genotypes for forage and seed yield contributing traits, to study the inheritance and identify molecular markers linked with powdery mildew resistance in oat. The experimental material comprised of 121 oat germplasm lines including five checks viz., Palampur-1, OS-6, Kent, RO-19 and UPO-212 was raised in simple lattice design (11×11) with two replications during rabi 2014-15 to 2016-17. Mapping population of 161 F2 individuals was developed by crossing two oat varieties, one of which (JPO-46) carried the resistance gene and the other (HJ-8) as disease susceptible and bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was employed to identify the RAPD and SSR markers linked to the powdery mildew resistance gene. Sufficient genetic variability was observed for fresh fodder yield and its component traits suggesting the scope of selection for these traits. On pooled basis, PCV and GCV was high for flag leaf area whereas, it was found to be moderate to low for most of the traits. High heritability along with high genetic advance was observed for flag leaf area and with moderate genetic advance for tillers per plant and 1000-seed weight suggesting selection for additive and hybridization coupled with selection for exploiting both types of gene actions, respectively. Fresh fodder yield per plant showed significant and positive correlation with flag leaf area, dry matter yield, days to 75% maturity, biological yield per plant, seed yield per plant, crude protein yield per plant and negatively with harvest index indicating that selection through these traits would be effective. Path coefficient analysis revealed that dry matter yield per plant, crude protein yield per plant, seed yield per plant, days to 50 % flowering and leaves per plant were the best selection indices for increasing green forage yield. Based on D2-statis