Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advancefor Quantitative Traits in Ginger

Abstract

Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance were studied in twenty five ginger accessions for eight quantitative traits during the rainy season of 2015 at the Research Farm of School of Agricultural Technology, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, SamaruKataf Campus. The experiment was laid out using 5 x 5 simple lattice design with three replications. Wide genetic variation was observed for all accessions for plant height, leaf length, number of tillers per plant, number of primary fingers per rhizome and number of secondary fingers per rhizome and fresh rhizome yield. The accession Kch-Zo4 recorded the highest number of primary and secondary fingers per rhizome. It also produced the highest fresh rhizome yield of 19.59 tons/ha than all the other accessions tested. Considering genetic parameters, genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation were of high (>20%) for fresh rhizome yield (22.98%, 28.30%) and moderate (10-20%) for number of tillers per plant (13.46%, 15.75%), leaf length (10.07%, 10.84%) and number of primary fingers per rhizome (12.96%, 14.41%). In all cases, phenotypic variances and phenotypic coefficient of variation were higher than the corresponding genotypic variances and genotypic coefficient of variation. Based on high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean, the traits number of tillers per plant (73.10%, 23.71%), number of primary fingers per rhizome (80.79%, 23.99) and fresh rhizome yield (65.92%, 38.44%) were found as superior and representing additive gene action. Effective selection would be made considering these traits.