The presented study, held at the Research cum Instructional Farm of the College of Horticulture and Research Station, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, India, ran during the Rabi season of 2021, to investigate superior radish cultivars for selection having high yield potential and better quality root for Bastar plateau. The experiment, laid out in randomized block design (RBD), had 15 treatments and three replications. Observing high genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was for the following traits: dry and fresh weights of roots, plants, and leaves; root and leaf yields; days to 50% germination; the diameter and length of the root, North-South and East-West spread of the plant; plant height, and the number of leaf plant-1, having recorded significant heritability and high genetic advance. Similarly, high heritability showed for root yield and fresh and dry weights of roots. Moderate heritability levels appeared for the traits, viz., the plant’s dry weight and the root diameter. The genetic gain resulted high for characters, viz., root yield and fresh and dry weights of roots. High heritability followed by high genetic advance indicates that selection may be effective for improving such characteristics. Root yield (t ha-1) exhibited a highly significant positive correlation with the fresh weight of the plant at the phenotypic and genotypic levels, followed by dry weight of roots, dry weight of the plant, East-West spread of the plant, the diameter of the root, and leaf yield plot-1. The fresh weight of roots had the maximum positive direct effect on root yield in the genotypic path, followed by the dry weight of roots and the plant, the East-West spread of the plant, the diameter of the root, and leaf yield in radish. The selection of these characters can benefit in improving the yield of radishes.
radish, path coefficient, root yield, genotypic, phenotypic and correlation
The results indicated that a genetic variation of Raphanus sativus L. can further serve the species’ conservation, characterization, and usefulness for future breeding purposes. Cultivars exhibiting higher yield potential and desirable qualities may undergo testing in different agro-climatic locations.