Assessment of genetic variability parameters for yield and associated traits in Amaranthus (Amaranthus spp.) genotypes

Abstract

The present study was conducted in the summer season of 2024 and 2025 at the Horticulture Research Centre (HRC), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology (SVPUA&T), Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, to determine the amount of genetic variability among 48 Amaranthus genotypes. The experiment used a randomised block design (RBD) with 3 replications. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all attributes investigated, indicating significant diversity in the experimental material. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) exceeded the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all traits evaluated, showing that environmental factors exerted a noticeable influence on their expression. High estimates of GCV and PCV were calculated for attributes such as biological yield/plant, seed yield/plant, seed yield kg/ha, fresh leaf weight/plant, number of leaves/plants, number of branches/plant and plant height, showing enhanced scope for effective selection. The characters, namely, biological yield/plant, seed yield/plant, seed yield kg/ha, fresh leaf weight/plant, number of leaves/plants, plant height, number of branches/plants, inflorescence length, days to 50 % flowering and days to maturity, exhibited significant heritability related to genetic advance expressed as a percentage of the mean. Overall, the study suggests that these traits can serve as reliable selection criteria for improving seed yield and developing high-yielding Amaranthus genotypes in future breeding programmes.