Heterosis, gene action and heritability in faba bean(Vicia faba L.)‎

Abstract EN

Sixteen genotypes of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) including four parents (Italy, Spania, Turkish and Duhok) and their complete hybrids with their reciprocals were tested using a randomized complete block design with three replications.

Analysis of variance results for yield and some of its components showed highly significant differences for all traits, indicating wide genetic variability.

Results indicated that Fl's exhibited significant heterosis for all studied traits.

Significant additive genetic variance was shown for days to flowering, no.

of pods/plant, no.

of seeds/pod, dry seed yield/plant 100-dry seed weight and protein percentage.

The ratios of GCA SCA 2 2  /  exceeded unity for number of seeds/pod indicating the importance of additive gene action for this triat, while low GCA SCA 2 2  /  (less than unity), revealed the pre dominance of non-additive gene action for other traits.

Narrow sense heritability was high for: plant height, no.

of branches/plant, no.

of seed/pod, dry seed yield/plant and protein percent which indicate to additive gene action for these traits.

Average degree of dominance was more than unity for all traits except no.

of seeds/pod indicating the presence of over dominance for these traits.