Variability studies in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.)

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken to study the nature and magnitude of various genetic parameters and association among important quantitative characters in carnation at the IIHR, Bangalore. The study involved nine genotypes and variability was observed for all of the characters except for flower weight and number of flower buds per stem. Out of 25 metric characters studied, 15 characters were found to be useful for breeding programme. Heritability with higher genetic advance were exhibited by leaf area at 6th node and number of secondary branches which have no commercial value but the latter plays an important role for commercial propagation. Genotype correlation coefficients were higher than phenotypic correlation coefficients. Most of the characters exhibited significant positive correlation among themselves except for very few characters. Flower diameter had significant positive correlation with petal width, petal length, flower length, leaf area at 6th, 9th and 15th node. Path coefficient analysis was done for three most important characters, namely, flower diameter, node number at which flowering and number of primary branches. Genotypes ‘White with red edge’, ‘Arthur Sim’ and ‘Scania’ were found to be superior for different horticultural characters and useful in breeding superior hybrids. The genotypes such as ‘Scania’. ‘Dustry Pink’, ‘Pink’, ‘Arthur Sim’ and ‘Sam’s Pride’ were found to be having pleasant fragrance.