MSc

Genetic variability studies was conducted on fifty different genotypes of
Anthurium andreanum Linden, generated from a previous hybridisation
programme in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of
Agriculture, Vellayani.
The analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the fifty
genotypes for all the seventeen quantitative characters studied. This reveals the
high genetic potential for the improvement of this crop.
Variability studies indicated that high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients
of variation for the characters of total anthocyanin content, pollen fertility,
inclination of candle to spathe and duration of interphase. Except for leaf area and
number of flowers per candle, all the other characters were highly influenced by
genotypic variation. High heritability with a good genetic advance was found for
all characters except for suckering ability and number of spadices/plant/year
which exhibited medium heritability and high genetic advance. These results
indicated that selection of plants which were phenotypically superior with respect
to fifteen of the characters studied will certainly result in a significant
improvement in the next generations.
Plant height was found to have significant positive phenotypic correlation
with internode length, leaf area and days from emergence to maturity of
inflorescence. Candle length showed significant positive correlation with leaf
area, number of flowers per candle, life of spadix and duration of female phase.
Genotypic correlations were higher and for most of the characters it showed
high positive correlations. Most of the estimates of the environmental correlation


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coefficients for the characters are low and insignificant indicating the least effect
of environment in the expression of the characters studied.
Pollen fertility ranged from 7.03 per cent in PR X FR(2) to 50.80 per cent in
U X MW. The protogynous nature of the flower and low pollen fertility suggests
the hybrid nature of the crop. During the months from March to July, the pollen
emergence pattern was less where the maximum and minimum temperatures were
relatively high.
Path coefficient analysis revealed that the characters leaf area and duration
of female phase are more associated with number of flowers per candle and 40 per
cent variation in flower production was attributed by the environment. High
selection index values were recorded by the genotype LR X DT followed by FR X
MW(l), PR X LR (3), MW X FRO). If parents are selected based on selection
index values, 45 per cent genetic gain can be expected in the next generation.