Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 3(2): 138-141, 2011
ISSN: 2041-3890
© Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2011
Received: January 11, 2011
Accepted: February 10, 2011
Published: March 15, 2011
Genetic Variability Analysis in Some Advanced Lines
of Soybean (Glycine max L.)
Saleem Khan, Abdul Latif, Sahibzada Qayyum Ahmad, Farhad Ahmad and Mehvish Fida
Agricultural Research Station, Baffa, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan
Abstract: The experiment was conducted to estimate the genetic variability in 20 different soybean genotypes.
The crop was sown during June, 2010 at Agricultural Research Station, Baffa, Mansehra. The experiment was
laid out in RCBD with three replications. The results of analysis revealed that all the characters like days to
flowering, days to pod formation, days to maturity, plant height (cm), branches/plant, pods/plant, pod length
(cm), seeds/pod, 100 grain wt (g) and yield (g/plant) were significantly affected due to various soybean
genotypes. The days to flowering ranged from 34.33 to 62.00, pod formation from 46.00-75.00 days, maturity
from 91.33-116.00 days, plant height from 56.51 to 106.00 cm, branches from 4.33 to 13.33 per plant, pods
from 47.33 to 165.30 per plant, pod length from 2.00 to 6.66 cm, seeds/pod from 3.33 to 1.00, 100 grain wt
from 3.80 g to 17.16 g and grain yield from 3.24 to 39.42 g/plant. The genotypes Zane, Black hack, Bragg and
Menlin remained the best among 20 lines studied in term of bearing pods, high grain wt and yield production.
It was suggested that these superior lines may be focused and involved in future breeding programme for
development of new high yielding soybean varieties.
Key words: Agronomic characters, genetic variations, seed yield, soybean
management of germplasm collections (Dong et al.,
2001). The genetic diversity is a key component of any
agricultural production system. The material from diverse
geographical origin of the crop species can help to
ensure conservation of co-adapted gene complexes
(Brown, 1978; Frankel, 1984; Frankel et al., 1995). The
application of genetic variation can also be manipulated
either for selecting superior genotypes or to be utilized as
parents for the development of future cultivars through
hybridization. Genetic improvements could be accelerated
if physiological attributes were used as selection criteria.
INTRODUCTION
One of the challenges be setting the economy of
Pakistan is the edible oil deficit. Its indigenous production
is below the consumption levels with a very wide gap
between production and consumption. Soybean is one of
the non-conventional oilseed crops which can be
successfully grown in the country during both spring and
the autumn seasons. It contains 40 to 42% good quality
protein and 18 to 22% oil comprising 85% unsaturated
fatty acids and is free from cholesterol, so it is highly
desirable in the human diet (Aslam et al., 1995).
In Pakistan it is cultivated under a wide range of
agroecological zones particularly under rainfed
conditions. It is grown on a very small area only in one
province. Average yield of soybean is low as compared to
other soybean growing countries. On average of 5 years
(2001-2005),
the
yield
was
1000 kg/ha
(Anonymous, 2007).
The profitable yields can be obtained through genetic
improvement for high yield potential. The examination of
genetic diversity is important for plant breeder in general
and particularly in a newly introduced crop like soybean,
which is not grown commercially in Pakistan.
Introgression of diverse germplasm into the current
soybean genetic base may increase genetic variability and
lead to greater gains from selection (Thompson and
Nelson, 1998). The study of their genetic diversity is
invaluable for efficient utilization, conservation and
The objectives of present study were to:
C
C
C
Study the soybean germplasm for its genetic
variability
Evaluate the performance of different soybean
genotypes
And to determine suitable plant types available for
further studies in soybean
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The reported experiment was conducted at
Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra during
2010. The germplasm accession comprised of 18
advanced soybean lines obtained from National
Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad. Two
high yielding varieties Malakand-96 and Kharif-93 were
Corresponding Author: Saleem Khan, Agricultural Research Station, Baffa, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan. Tel: +92 334 8431740;
Fax: +92 997 511724
138
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 3(2): 138-141, 2011
Table 1: Analysis of variance (Mean squares) for various plant traits of soybean lines planted at ARS Baffa, Mansehra
Source of
Days to
Days to pod
Maturity
Plant height
Branches/
Pods/
Pod length
variation
df
flowering
formation
(days)
(cm)
plant
plant
(cm)
Replications 2
2.117
7.117
1.850
62.628
2.467
67.11
0.016
Genotypes
19
216.070
218.361
162.947
725.25
17.684
3677
5.630
Error
38
4.678
2.239
11.429
9.874
2.011
66.53
0.422
Total
59
4287.333
4248.183
3534.00
14280
417.333
72525
123.041
Table 2: Mean performances for various plant traits of soybean lines planted at ARS Baffa, Mansehra
Days to
Days to pod
Maturity
Plant height Branches/
Pods/
S. No. Lines
flowering
formation
(days)
(cm)
plant
plant
1
Sooty
37.33 KL
46.00 K
91.33 I
66.62 I
7.000 EFG
63.33 H
2
SSAL 129
54.33 CD
66.00 DE
106.7 BC
57.73 K
6.000 GH
74.33 H
3
Clenk-63
41.33 IJ
52.33 J
103.3 CD
81.51 F
7.667 DEFG 108.7 DEF
4
Menlin
51.67DEF
64.67 EF
105.7 BCD
72.37 GH
11.67 AB
89.00 G
5
PKN-62-1-1 48.33 FG
58.00 H
96.00 FGHI 67.09 I
4.333 H
47.33 I
6
Virgina
38.67 JK
47.00 K
92.00 HI
95.70 C
9.333 BCDE 115.3 DE
7
Word worth
57.00 BC
52.57 FG
95.00 GHI
101.6 AB
9.667 BCD
155.3 AB
8
Bragg
59.00 AB
58.00 CD
97.67 EFG
93.69 CD
10.67 BC
143.3 BC
9
E-1513
52.00 DE
61.67 G
100.7 DEF
56.51 K
7.000 EFG
103.7 EF
10
No. 5484
57.67 BC
69.33 C
107.0 BC
67.29 HI
9.000 CDEF 100.3 FG
11
S-42-4
42.67 HI
55.00 I
97.67 EFGH 60.99 JK
6.667 FGH
139.0 C
12
Fond
34.33 L
52.33 J
94.33 GHI
90.17 DE
4.333 H
113.0 DE
13
Zane
60.00 AB
67.00CDE
106.7 BC
97.91 BC
9.667 BCD
143.0 C
14
No. 10
61.33 A
73.33 B
116.0 A
106.0 A
13.33 A
165.3 A
15
Black hack
45.67 GH
56.00 HI
103.7 CD
64.67 IJ
10.00 BCD
112.7 DE
16
Wilson
48.67EFG
56.00 HI
110.7 AB
75.21 G
7.000 EFG
50.33 I
17
Attawa
51.67 EF
51.33 G
105.7 BCD
88.00 E
7.667 DEF
69.67 H
18
E-1092
58.67 AB
75.00 A
113.3 A
80.50 F
10.33 BC
137.7 C
19
Kharif-93
45.67 GH
56.00 HI
102.7 CDE
64.67 IJ
11.33ABC
73.33 H
20
Malakand-96 62.00 A
72.33 B
114.3 A
89.42 DE
10.67 BC
120.7 D
LSD at 0.05
3.537
2.473
5.588
5.194
2.344
12.32
CV %
4.30%
2.45%
3.28%
3.98%
16.36%
7.68%
Pod
length (cm)
4.790 BC
4.777 BC
3.487 DEF
5.510 B
2.147 G
5.677 AB
5.553 B
4.223 CD
3.933 CDE
5.540 B
5.400 B
2.003 G
2.620 FG
3.883 CDE
2.613 FG
2.870 EFG
4.887 BC
6.667 A
2.477 FG
4.053 CD
1.074
15.63%
seeds/
pod
0.150
1.132
0.238
30.850
100 grain
weight (g)
0.045
46.195
0.117
882.242
seeds/pod
2.333 BC
2.000 CD
2.667 ABC
3.000 AB
1.333 DE
3.333 A
3.000 AB
2.667 ABC
2.667 ABC
3.000 AB
2.667 ABC
1.000 E
2.333 BC
3.000 AB
2.333 BC
2.333 BC
3.333 A
3.333 A
2.333 BC
2.333 BC
0.8064
19.12%
100 grain
weight (g)
4.127 N
10.45 F
7.293 I
9.113 G
3.800 N
4.737 M
5.027 LM
8.017 H
7.400 I
6.257 J
5.667 K
9.300 G
14.44 C
5.530 KL
17.16 A
15.28 B
13.34 D
12.36 E
8.207 H
10.48 F
0.5654
3.85%
Yield
(g/plant)
0.395
224.515
3.218
4388.865
Yield
(g/plant)
6.293 K
14.77 I
21.15 DE
26.39 B
3.247 L
15.19 HI
22.99 CD
27.32 B
19.76 EF
19.49 EFG
19.88 EF
10.57 J
39.42 A
22.45 CDE
36.55 A
16.64 GHI
20.26 DEF
25.01 BC
18.11 FGH
16.53 HI
2.965
8.92%
different plant traits and their comparison are given in
Table 2. The mean data given in Table 2 revealed
significant variations in days to flowering in 20 soybean
lines. The days to flowering ranged from 34.33 to 62.00.
The line Fond was found early as it completed flowering
in 34.33 days. Cultivar Malakand-96 was late and took 62
days to flowering. The line No. 10 was also found late as
it took 61.33 days to flowering. Among other lines
Kharif-93 and Black hack took 45.67 days and Menlin
and Attawa took 51.67 days to flowering. These results
are in line with the finding of Ramgiry et al. (1998),
Molhotra (1973), Jagtap and Mehetre (1994),
Sirohi et al. (2007), Taware et al. (1997) and
Chand et al. (1999).
Days to pod formation were also found significant
and showed variations ranged from 46 to 75 days. Line
Sooty was earlier (46 days) followed by Virgina (47
days), similarly Malakand-96, No.10 and E-1029 took
72.33, 73.33 and 75 days respectively to pod formation
while non significant variations were found between
Clenk-63 and Fond took 52.33 days and among Black
hack, Wilson and Kharif-93 which took 56 days to pod
formations. Similar results were also observed by
Mehmet et al. (2009), Malik et al. (2006),
Ramgiry et al. (1998), Molhotra (1973) and Jagtap and
Mehetre (1994).
Significant variations were observed among number
of days to maturity in all 20 lines. Sooty, Fond, Word
worth, PKN-62-1-1, Bragg and S-42-4 were found earlier
mature took 91.33, 94.33, 95, 96 and 97.67 days,
respectively similarly No.10 took maximum days (116) to
also included as checks in the experiment. These
genotypes were planted in a randomized complete block
design with three replications; each plot consisted of 2
rows each of 5 m in length with a row to row distance of
60 cm. The crop was grown under normal conditions.
Sowing was done with the help of hand drill. Six
randomly selected plants were used to take the data from
each plot of each replication. A basal dose of 36 kg N and
92 kg P2O5 in the form of diammonium phosphate (DAP)
fertilizer was applied at sowing. Normal cultural practices
for raising a successful crop were followed uniformly
through out the experiment. Irrigation was applied at
weekly intervals or as when needed. The data were
recorded on days to flowering, days to pod formation,
days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of
branches/plant, number of pods/plant, pod length (cm),
number of seeds/pod, 100 grain wt (g) and yield (g/plant).
The seed yield was measured as mature seed harvested
and seed weight was recorded as weight of 100 randomly
selected seeds from a bulk at each plot. The data were
subjected to statistical manipulation for the analysis of
variance through computer’s software M-Stat-C (Steel
and Torrie, 1984). The significant data were further
analyzed statistically using Least Significant Difference
(LSD) test at 5% probability level to compare the
differences among the genotype means.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of analysis of variance regarding various
plant traits are given in Table 1. Means regarding
139
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 3(2): 138-141, 2011
E-1513 and No. 5484 respectively showing 113.00,
112.70, 103.70 and 100.30 pods/plant. These results get
sufficient validation from the findings of Molhotra (1973),
Jagtap and Mehetre (1994), Sirohi et al. (2007),
Taware et al. (1997), Chand et al. (1999),
Mehmet et al. (2009) and Malik et al. (2006).
Pod length (cm) and number of seeds per pod are
important yield parameters in various beans including
soybean. Both pod length and number of seeds per pod
were highly significantly affected due to various soybean
genotypes. The ranged for pod length was recorded from
2.00 to 6.66 cm. The longest pods were noticed at line
E-1092 and remained superior among all the genotypes
under study. It was followed by some other better but
statistically uniform lines namely Words worth, No. 5484,
Menlin and S-42-4 with a pod length of 5.55, 5.54, 5.51
and 5.40 cm, respectively. Similarly highest number of
seeds per pod were recorded in lines Virgina, Attawa and
E-1092 with an average 3.33 seeds/pod while the lines
Fond and PKN-62-1-1 were observed with less number of
seeds (1.00 and 1.33 seeds, respectively) in individual
pods. The research work reported by Sirohi et al. (2007),
Taware et al. (1997), Chand et al. (1999),
Mehmet et al. (2009) and Malik et al. (2006) regarding
pod length and number of seeds/pod in soybean is similar
to the present investigation.
Grain weight is an important yield parameter and is
vary from genotype to genotype. In the present study 100
grain weight (g) ranged from 3.80 to 17.16 g. Black hack
line showed maximum weight for 100 seeds (17.16 g)
while PKN-62-1-1 was noticed with minimum 100 grain
weight (3.80 g). Similarly Wilson and Zane (15.28 and
14.44 g, respectively) were also recorded superior
genotypes with high grain weight. Taware et al. (1997)
and Chand et al. (1999) reported the same results.
Grain yield being complex trait is highly influenced
by various environmental factors including biotic and a
biotic factors. It is also interplay of various morphological
characters which either favor or worsen the final yield. In
present investigations grain yield per plant in grams was
measured. Grain yield was found to be highly
significantly different due to different soybean genotypes.
The line Zane superseded all the genotypes with highest
yield of 39.42 g/plant. It was closely followed by another
high yielding line Black hack with grain yield of 36.55
g/plant. These lines were statistically at par with some
other high yielding lines including Bragg, Menlin, E1092, No.10 and Clenk-63 with grain yield of 27.32,
26.39, 25.01, 22.45 and 21.15 g/plant. The lines PKN-621-1 and Sooty showed poor performance in this
experiment producing only 3.24 and 6.29 g of grain yield
per plant respectively. It was further observed that the
lines with highest grain weight and more pod
numbers had produced higher yield. The findings of
Mehmet et al. (2009), Malik et al. (2006),
Ramgiry et al. (1998), Molhotra (1973), Jagtap and
reach maturity followed by Malakand-96 and E-1092
which took 114.30 and 113.30 days respectively to
become mature. Molhotra (1973), Jagtap and
Mehetre (1994), Sirohi et al. (2007), Taware et al. (1997)
and Chand et al. (1999) also observed similar variations
in soybean lines.
Plant height is an important trait in erect type
soybean and usually positive correlated with yield. The
present result revealed that height of plant was highly
significant affected due to various soybean genotypes.
The plant height ranged from 56.51 to 106 cm. The tallest
plant were observed in line No. 10 (106 cm) followed by
lines Word worth, Zane and Virgina with the height of
101.60, 97.91 and 95.70 cm respectively. The lines
including E-1513, SSAL-129, S-42-4, Kharif-93, Black
hack and Sooty were found short statured with height of
56.51, 57.73, 60.99, 64.67 and 66.62 cm, respectively.
Earlier reports of Jagtap and Mehetre (1994),
Sirohi et al. (2007), Taware et al. (1997),
Chand et al. (1999) and Ramgiry et al. (1998) also
showed highly significant variability in plant height in
various soybean lines.
The number of branches are the most important yield
component in soybean. The effective and fruit bearing
branches play important role in enhancing the final yield.
The number of branches varies from genotype to genotype
depending upon genetic potential of a variety. In present
study the number of branches were significantly affected
by the various genotypes. The branches ranged from 4.33
to 13.33 per plant. The highest branches (13.33) were
produced by the line No.10 followed by Menlin (11.67)
and Kharif-93 (11.33). Similarly the lines PKN-62-1-1
and Fond had shown very poor performance by showing
only 4.33 branches/plant. These were statistically at par
with the lines Malakand-96 and Kharif-93 used as checks.
These results are in great harmony with the findings of
Mehmet et al. (2009), Malik et al. (2006),
Ramgiry et al. (1998), Molhotra (1973) and Jagtap and
Mehetre (1994).
Healthy pods are considered the most desirable yield
trait in beans. The number of grain filled pod is an
important factor to be considered during selection of
desirable genotypes. The variations in number of pods in
present investigations were found to be highly significant
due to divergent genotypes. The number of pods ranged
from 47.33 to 165.30 per plant. The genotype No.10 with
165.30 pods per plant remained significantly superior
among all the 20 lines. The other higher pod producing
lines were Word worth, Bragg, Zane and S-42-4 with
155.30, 143.30, 143.00 and 139.00 pods per plant
respectively. All these lines were statistically at par with
each other. The lines PKN-62-1-1 and Wilson remained
quite poor in pods production with minimum value of
47.33 and 50.33 pods per plant. The other medium
performing lines in this regard were Fond, Black hack,
140
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 3(2): 138-141, 2011
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Malik, M.F.A., A.S. Qureshi, M. Ashraf and A. Ghafoor,
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Sirohi, S.P.S., M. Sanjai, S.P. Singh, Y. Ramasharya and
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Mehetre (1994), Sirohi et al. (2007), Taware et al. (1997)
and Chand et al. (1999) are in accordance with these
results.
CONCLUSION
After estimating the genetic variability of 20 different
soybean genotypes, it is concluded that the four lines
including Zane, Black hack, Bragg and Menlin remained
superior in term of yield production as well as in other
important yield components. It is, therefore suggested that
these lines must be brought forward for testing across the
various ecological zones of the country.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The National Agricultural Research Center (NARC),
Islamabad is highly acknowledged for providing the
soybean germplasm seeds used for the experiment.
Officers and technical staff of Agricultural Research
Station Baffa, Mansehra are also acknowledged for their
valuable support and crucial assistance.
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