Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) belongs to the Poaceae family and serves as a staple in many portions worldwide, as well as, in Pakistan. Wheat yield in Gilgit-Baltistan is comparatively low versus other parts of the country because cultivars developed suited other regions globally. Moreover, the country performs less due to unique agroecological conditions. This study progressed on 20 wheat accessions at the PARC-Mountain Agricultural Research Station, Chilas, District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan, in 2018–2019. It used a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates to assess the genetic variability and trait association in wheat. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation (%) was evident for characteristics, i.e., spike length, flag leaf area, tillers plant^-1, spikelets spike^-1, yield plot^-1, yield hectare^-1, and straw yield hectare^-1. Estimates of heritability were high for all traits under consideration. Estimated high broad-sense heritability (H²) tied with high genetic advance percent over means for spikelets spike^-1, flag leaf area, tillers plant^-1, seeds spike^-1, spike length, thousand-grain weight, yield plot^-1, straw yield plot^-1, yield hectare^-1, and straw yield hectare^-1. It indicated a simple selection based on phenotype would be effective for improvement during early generations.

Estimating correlation coefficients for various traits revealed that plant height, days to maturity, harvest index, straw yield plot^-1, and thousand-grain weight exhibited positively significant correlations with yield hectare^-1. Meanwhile, plant height, thousand-grain weight, days to maturity, and yield plot^-1 showed relevant correlations with straw yield plot^-1.

Keywords: Accession, coefficients of variation, correlation, genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance

Key findings: The genotypes AC-12, AC-13, AC-5, and AC-15 emerged as high-grain yielders, and AC-15, AC-23, and AC-12 proved as better straw-yielding genotypes. These wheat genotypes may benefit the development of new wheat varieties of the future for the agroecological condition of Gilgit-Baltistan.