Genotypic variability in grain amaranthus (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) under varied plant densities

Abstract: In grain amaranthus (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) ten genotypes were evaluated for twelve characters under four plant density levels viz., very high-30 × 20 cm (D₁), high-30×30 cm (D₂), normal-45×20 cm (D₃) and low plant density-45×30 cm (D₄) levels to study the different selection parameters for grain yield and its eleven contributing morphological and quality traits. The study was conducted at College Orchard, Department of Horticulture, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, TNAU, Karaikal during rabi 2007. The results revealed that the GCV was maximum in high plant density when compared to very high, normal and low plant density levels for the characters viz., fresh weight of the inflorescence, length of the rachis per inflorescence, grain yield per plant and total carbohydrates. In all the four plant density levels, leaf area at 50 per cent flowering, fresh weight of the inflorescence, number of secondary branches per inflorescence and total carbohydrates recorded high magnitude of genetic variability in combination with high heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean.