Evaluation and variability study in garlic

Abstract

Thirty diverse genotypes of garlic (Allium sativum L.) were evaluated for important quantitative and qualitative traits. The genotype JAS 28 showed highest value for quantitative traits such as, leaf length (36.33 cm), leaf width (1.74 cm), pseudostem diameter (0.84 cm), equatorial diameter of bulb (4.16 cm), average weight of bulb (27.0 g), marketable yield (117.0 q/ha) and total yield (118.0 t/ha). Further, maximum plant height (62.20 cm), number of cloves/ bulb (23.66) and average weight of bulb(27.0 g) were observed in the genotype JAS 16. The genotype JAS 5 had maximum polar diameter of bulb (3.82 cm) and matured in minimum days (137.33 days), which could be easy selection for earliness along with high yield. Looking to the diversity among the genotypes, the traits evaluated for variability analysis showed high PCV and GCV for number of cloves/ bulb, pseudostem diameter and width. The heritability coupled with genetic advance as per cent of mean among the genotypes was, however, high in case of marketable yield, total yield, average weight of bulb, leaf length, average weight of 10 cloves and pseudostem length. Thus, the present investigation showed maximum diversity among the genotypes and the genotypes JAS 28 and JAS 16 were found to be good parental material to be used in breeding programme.