Analysis of Heritability and Genetic advance in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] in Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Eighty-one genotypes were tested in a 9x9 simple lattice design to evaluate their genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance for 11 contributing traits at Pawe (main research station) and Debate substation of Pawe Agricultural Research Center during 2018/2019 cropping season. Based on analysis of variance, most of the traits showed highly significant (p<0.01) differences except the number of nodules per plant, number of pods per plant, and number of seeds per pod. The estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variations (PCV&GCV) showed that the values of PCV were higher than of GCV. This would be indicated the expression of traits was highly influenced by environmental factors. High GCV and PCV values were observed by the number of seeds per plant and grain yield at Pawe and only by grain yield at Dibate implied that the presence of genetic variability for selection in these traits.  High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded by number of seed per plant (82.8% and 56.81%) and grain yield (89.9% and 45.2% ) at Pawe and days to flowering (97.2% and 23.7%) and plant height (96.6% and 33.7%) at Debate implying selection could be effective for these traits per each location.