Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

The present study was conducted with the objectives to estimate variances due to between family and within family, to estimate genetic parameters and identify superior mutants for utilization at experimental farm of Agricultural Botany Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur. During rabi 2021 in M₅ generation, 50 mutants along with two checks (NLK-73 and Ratan) were evaluated in three replications. Data were recorded on days to first flower, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches plant^-1, number of pods plant^-1, 100 seed weight and seed yield plant^-1. Analysis of variance indicated that the mean square due to between family were highly significant for all traits, which reveals that the mutant progenies had significant amount of genetic variability among themselves for seed yield plant^-1 and other yield components. Intra class correlation (t) lead to the inference that equal weightage to σ2f (variance between families) and σ2w (variance within families) should be considered for selection in M₅ generation. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation for number of pods plant^-1 and seed yield plant^-1, moderate for plant height, and low for 100 seed weight, number of branches plant^-1, days to first flower, and days to maturity. Moderate heritability was observed for plant height, seed yield plant^-1, number of pod plant^-1, and low heritability for days to first flower, days to maturity, 100 seed weight and number of branches plant^-1. Genetic advance as a percentage of mean were high for seed yield plant^-1, number of pod plant^-1, moderate for plant height, and low for days to first flower, days to maturity, number of branches plant^-1 and 100 seed weight. When all the genetic parameters for all the characters were considered, it was found that the characters number of pods plant^-1 and seed yield plant^-1 exhibited high genotypic coefficient of variation, moderate heritability and high genetic advance as percentage of mean, hence were considered as a criteria for selection. The range exhibited by individual plant within the progenies also were high for these characters. 149 individual plants from 36 selected mutant progenies exhibiting significant superiority over check for number of pods plant^-1 and seed yield plant^-1 were identified for further evaluation for one more generation in M₅ before forwarding to yield trials.