Study of some Genetic Parameters and Harvesting Dates of Flax Genotypes for Yield and its Related Traits

Abstract

Genetics improvement studies in Flax through variability, heritability and correlation were conducted in Ismailia Experimental station, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt during 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons. The analysis of combined data revealed that the two genotypes Giza 11 and Giza 12 recorded the highest means of most studied traits, while Giza 12 and Sakha 3 were the best genotypes for fiber percentage. Data also showed significant and gradually increases in the mean values of the straw and seed yield and its related traits towards the last harvesting date (160 days after sowing), except for the percentage of fiber, preference was given to the middle harvest date (150 days after sowing). The highest phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) values were found for seed yield/plant (62.44% and 61.38%), seed yield/hectare (61.05% and 61.05%), 1000-seed weight (54.21% and 54.18%), straw yield/plant (38.13% and 37.01%), straw yield/hectare (35.11% and 34.76%) and plant height traits (25.29% and 25.22%), respectively. These results showed the highest values of PCV and GCV, also low gap between PCV and GCV values indicated the presence of high genetic variability and the possibility of effective selection for the traits improvement. All the traits studied exhibited high values of heritability which ranged from 99.89% for 1000 – seed weight to 89.33% for number of capsules/plant. Therefore, the studied traits are less influenced by environment in there expression. Thus, the flax breeder makes selection on the basis of phenotypic expression for these traits. Straw yield per hectare and per plant were exhibited positive significant correlation with plant height, technical length, seed yield/plant, number of capsules/plant and fiber percentage, indicating that maximization of straw yield can be obtained by selection for these traits. Positive significant correlation were recorded between seed yield/hectare and seed yield/plant, number of capsules/plant and 1000–seed weight. Thus, these traits considered selection indices for improving flax seed yield.