Abstract

A study was conducted at Dabat, Northwestern Ethiopia, during 2010 cropping season. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and correlation coefficients were performed for yield and its contributing parameters in 10 faba bean genotypes. Analysis of variance for traits studied showed significant (P<0.01) differences among the genotypes. Phenotypic coefficient of variation values for most characters was closer than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation values showing little environment effect on the expression of these characters. The estimated values of broad-sense heritability were found to be between 27 (stand count at emergence) and 81% (grain yield). Heritability values determined were 72, 67, 65, 46, 44, 53, 58 and 45% for 100 seed weight, biological yield, number of pods per plant, number of pods per node, disease status, days to flowering, days to maturity and plant height, respectively. High heritability indicated that selection based on mean would be successful in improving these traits. Positive and significant correlation coefficients were also obtained between number of pods per node and each of plant height (r = 0.676**), number of pods/plant (r = 0.636**) and number of nodes per plant (r = 0.421*). Pods per plant had a significant positive correlation with plant height (p<0.01) in this study.

Key words: Correlation, faba bean, grain yield, genetic variability, heritability.