Abstract:
Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the most important oilseed crops for industrial, food, feed, and fiber purposes. Genetic variability plays important role for development of improved varieties. The aim of this study was to characterize thirty-six linseed genotypes using yield, yield related traits and oil content to determine magnitude of genetic variability, and phenotypic and genotypic correlation between yield and yield components. The field experiment was conducted at Haramaya University research station using simple lattice design with two replications from July to November 2018. Oil content was determined using oil extraction procedure by Soxhlet apparatus extraction method with petroleum ether. The results from analysis of variance revealed the presence of significant differences among genotypes for most of traits at p<0.05 and p<0.01. Grain yield per plant ranged from 0.69g to 3.00g with Mean of 1.2g. Total grain yield per plot in kilogram per hectare was 798 to 2123 with mean value of 1294. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation varied between 6.59 to 65.23% and 4.68 to 46.12% respectively. Majority of the traits had positive phenotypic and genotypic correlations with grain yield per plant. Moreover, oil content per plant followed by thousand seed weight and number of capsule per plant exhibited highly significant and positive association with grain yield per plant at genotypic level. Path coefficient analysis revealed maximum positive direct effect of oil content per plant on grain yield per plant at genotypic. Number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, total number of branches per plant, number of capsules per plant and thousand seed weight has positive indirect effect on grain yield per plant through oil content per plant. Generally, the research results indicated the presence of wide variations among linseed genotypes for grain yield and related traits, and most of the traits had high heritability, high genetic advance as percent of mean, positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations with grain yield.
