Estimation of Heritability and Selection Response in Drought Tolerant F2 Population of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica)

Abstract

Estimations of heritability and selection response are important in breeding improved varities. This study aimed to estimate the broad-sense heritability, type of gene action, and selection response on the F2 foxtail millet population. The experiment was conducted at the Cikabayan Experimental Field, IPB University, Bogor, from February to July 2021. The F2 populations were derived from Botok-10xICERI-6 and ICERI-6xBotok-10 crosses, and the parents of Botok-10 and ICERI-6 were also included in the experiment. The expected ideotypes of foxtail millet are early flowering, short plant stature, and high grain weight per plant. The data showed that Botok-10xICERI-6 population has an earlier flowering time and shorter plant height compared to the female parent Botok-10, and higher grain weight per plant compared to both parents. The flowering time is controlled by additive gene action, with a moderate broad-sense heritability and a small genetic coefficient of variance. While the plant height and grain weight per plant are controlled by non-additive gene action, with a high broad-sense heritability and a high genetic coefficient of variance. Predicted selection response at 10% intensity based on an index selection indicates an expected reduction in flowering time and an increase in grain weight per plant in Botok-10xICERI-6 population.