Comparative Analysis of UV-B Radiation Effects on Mutagenesis in Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.)
Govind Patel
Department of Genetic and Plant Breeding, PRSU, Prayagraj, India.
S.N. Mishra *
Faculty of Agriculture, PRSU, Prayagraj, India.
Naveen Kumar Tiwari
Faculty of Science, PRSU, Prayagraj, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Induced mutagenesis using physical agents such as UV-B radiation is an important approach for creating genetic variability and improving yield-related traits in wheat.The present study was conducted to evaluate genetic variability, heritability and trait associations among wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes under the agro-climatic conditions of Prayagraj during the Rabi season 2025–26. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) 10 genotypes with two different UV-B treatment, including one check variety, and three replications. Observations were recorded on 15 quantitative and physiological traits, including plant height at different growth stages, days to 50% flowering, flag leaf dimensions, awn length, number of tillers per plant, days to maturity, number of grains per spike, test weight, chlorophyll content, and seed yield per plant and per plot. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all studied traits, indicating the presence of substantial genetic variability. The mean performance showed considerable variation among genotypes for key traits such as seed yield per plant, number of grains per spike, and number of tillers per plant. Higher phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) compared to genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for most traits suggested the influence of environmental factors. High heritability coupled with moderate genetic advance was observed for several traits, Plant height at 30 Days After Sowing (DAS), Plant height at 60 Days After Sowing (DAS), Plant height at 90 Days After Sowing (DAS), Days to 50% flowering, Flag leaf length (cm), Flag leaf width (cm), Spike length (cm), Awn length (cm), Number of tillers per plant, Days to maturity, Number of grains per spike, Test weight (g), Seed yield per plant (g), Seed yield per plot (g), Chlorophyll content (SPAD value), Germination %, Root length (cm), Shoot length (cm), Seedling length (cm). indicating the effectiveness of selection. Correlation analysis revealed that seed yield showed a strong positive association with traits such as number of tillers per plant, number of grains per spike, and test weight. Overall, the study identified important yield-contributing traits that can be effectively utilized in wheat breeding programmes for yield improvement.
Keywords: Genetic variability, heritability, correlation analysis, GCV and PCV, seed quality, yield traits