Early Generation Yield Testing As a Selection Procedure in Peanuts .

Abstract

Forty original half-diallel crosses available in F3 generation were selected on yielding performance for subsequent yield trials. The final high yielding lines of F6 generation plus 3 check cultivars were yield tested in a 9 x 9 simple lattice design. Correlations and path coefficients were analyzed and used for determining the effectiveness of early-generation yield trial as a selection procedure in peanuts. Results showed that pod and seed yield and number of mature pods per plant and number of seeds per plant were highly correlated in F3, F4, F5 and F6 generation. Significant associations of other yield component traits in F4, F5 and F6 indicated that the number of mature pods and number of seeds per plant could be used in selection for high yield. However, non-significant correlations between generations o most traits except days to flowering indicated an uneffectiveness of early-generation yield test in peanuts.