Variability in the open-pollinated progenies of turmeric

Abstract

Studies were undertaken with 42 selected lines of open –pollinated progenies of two types of turmeric, Amalapuram and Dindrigam, at the College of Horticulture for a period of two years from May, 1979. The main objectives of the study were 1. To find out the genetical variability with regard to various characters, and 2. To select pest and disease tolerant/resistant lines of turmeric having high yield and curcumin content. The results have shown that the difference between the lines were highly significant for all the characters studied. The estimates of variance of components and coefficients of variation have indicated that the major portion of total variability in most of the characters was due to genetic causes. Yield per plant was found to be highly associated with length of primary fingers and length and girth of secondary fingers. The correlation coefficients of these yield components were found to be positive and significant. Incidence of leaf diseases were not noticed in the lines. Attack of shoot-borer was noticed, but lines A 76, A 83, D 39, D 180, D 182, D 199, D 310, D 311 and D 320 were free from the attack. Yield varied significantly among lines with a maximum recorded by the line D 199 (693.6 gms per plant). Curing percentage was maximum in the line D 311 (33.67%) and the oleoresin content varied from 16.6 per cent to 22.6 per cent and variation in curcumin content was from 1.14 per cent to 5.37 per cent. From the present investigation, the lines D 180, D 229, A 78 and D 199 are selected for further detailed study based on the dry yield of rhizome, yield of curcumin and selection index.