Genetic Variability Assessment of Ethiopian Caraway (Trachyspermum ammi L. Sprague ex Turrill) Genotypes at Mersa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Thirty-six local accessions of Ethiopian caraway were evaluated to assess their genetic variability and to determine their essential oil contents at Mersa, North Wollo using 6 x 6 lattice designs with three replications. Fourteen parameters were recorded and statistically analyzed The analysis of variance for these parameters indicated that the mean squares due to genotypes were highly significant for days to emergence, days to maturity, plant height, secondary branches/plant, seed yield and essential oil content. Genotypic variance contributed the larger portion of the phenotypic variance in all of the parameters. Moderate values of PCV and GCV were noted for number of secondary branches (15.1% and 14.16%), plant height (12.3% and 10.84%) and essential oil content (16.1% and 15.7%); however, the values of PCV and/or GCV were low for the rest of the parameters. Highest value of heritability were observed for essential oil (94.2%) and secondary branches (87.6%).Genetic advance (GA) and GA% were higher for dry matter, seed yield, secondary branches and plant height. Heritability, GA and GA% were higher for number of secondary branches, plant height and essential oil. Significant positive correlations were observed for number of umbel with number of secondary branches (0.98**), number of seeds per umbel (0.6**) and plant height (0.44**).Genotypically seed yield was positive and highly significant with number of primary branches (0.48**), secondary branches (0.5**), number of umbel per plant (0.8**), number of seeds per umbel (0.98**) and plant height (0.79**).

Keywords: essential oil, harvest index, heritability, variability, genetic advance, correlation,