Genotypic variability for nutrient, antioxidant, yield and yield contributing traits in vegetable amaranth (original) (raw)

This study aimed to evaluate genotypic variability in 30 vegetable amaranth genotypes for nutrient composition, antioxidant content, and 12 yield contributing traits. The trials were in the field of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University in Bangladesh for consecutive two years (2012 and 2013) implementing Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. High mean value, high range of variability and high genotypic variance were observed for all the traits except content of Ca, protein and betacarotenoid. Close differences between genotypic and phenotypic variances and genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variations were observed for all the traits. Considering all genetic parameters, selection based on contents of potassium, manganese, and ascorbic acid, plant height, leaves/plant, diameter of stem base, fiber content, leaf area and foliage yield/plot seemed to be effective for the improvement of vegetable amaranth. Foliage yield had significant positive correlation with plant height, leaves per plant, diameter of stem base, fiber content and leaf area. Nutrient content and antioxidant traits exhibited interesting results, i.e., had insignificant genotypic correlations with foliage yield and most of the studied traits indicating that selection with these traits might be possible without compromising any yield loss. Therefore, concomitant selection for high nutrient, antioxidant and high foliage yield would be effective for improvement of the vegetable amaranth. Based on mean, range, genetic parameters, correlation coefficient and path coefficient values, direct selection through three traits, i.e., fiber content, leaf area and diameter of stem base would significantly improve the foliage yield of vegetable amaranth. On the other hand, concomitant selection based on high nutrient and antioxidant content and high foliage yield would be effective selection method for improvement of vegetable amaranth.