Screening Selected Linseed (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i> L.) Genotypes for Yield Performance in Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was carried out during the year 2013-14 on the screening of the selected linseed genotypes for yield performance in Sindh, Pakistan. The experiment was laid out at the experimental fields of Oilseeds Section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam in a three replicated randomized complete block design. Twelve linseed genotypes (L-53, C-W-2, Shikarpur 2, P -1 6-4, L-8, 11 -1 06, Hala 3, L -1 7, Santane, Summit, L -1 0 and check llsi 90) were screened for their agronomic performance and correlations amongst yield and its contributing traits were calculated. The analysis of variance suggested significant ( P < 0.05) variation among linseed genotypes for all the traits studied in this experiment. Most of the genotypes attained flowering and maturity earlier than the check variety; while P -1 6-4 surpassed Ilsi-90 for primary branches; and most of the remaining genotypes were at par with the commercial check for primary branches. Genotype L -1 0 surpassed the commercial check for capsules plant -1 and L-8 was at par with the commercial check; while none of the genotypes could surpass commercial check variety for seed index, but 11 -1 06, Hala-3 and Summit also showed promising performance regarding the seed index. All the genotypes tested in this experiment such as L-53, C-W-2, Shikarpur 2, P -1 6-4, L-8, 11 -1 06, Hala 3, L -1 7, Santane, Summit, L -1 0 surpassed the commercial check variety Ilsi-90 for seed yield plot -1 . The correlation coefficient for yield and its contributing traits of linseed genotypes showed a positive and significant ( P < 0.05) association for primary branches plant -1 vs seed yield plant -1 (r = 0.3334 * ), days to maturity vs spike length (r = 0.5384 ** ), days to 75% flowering vs days to 90% maturity (r = 0.4073 ** ), days to 75% flowering vs seed index (r = 0.4291 ** ), days to 90% maturity vs seed index (r = 0.3973 **) and seed index v/s seed yield plot -1 (r = 0.5160 ** ). Negative and significant ( P < 0.05) association was observed for primary branches plant -1 vs days to maturity (r = -0.368 * ), capsules plant -1 vs days to maturity (r = -0.3567 * ), days to 90% maturity vs seed yield plant -1 (r = -0.4156 ** ) and days to 90% maturity vs seed yield plot -1 (r = -0.3423 * ). The new genotypes possess the potential to become future varieties for general cultivation in Sindh province.