Insights into Genetic Variability Parameters and Character Association among Agro-morphological and Biochemical Traits in Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth. Ex. Roem and Schultz)

A set of 64 little millet genotypes was evaluated for their genetic variability parameters, principal components, and their contribution to total variance using seven agro-morphological and four biochemical traits in alpha lattice design with two replications. The mean performance revealed the presence of substantial variability for the characters studied. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) estimated ranged from 18.28% to 43.75% and 10.06% to 42.75%, respectively. Even though PCV was found to be significantly greater than GCV for the number of tillers, a slightly higher PCV over GCV was observed for all the other traits, suggesting a limited environmental influence for the majority of the traits. High heritability was observed for all agro-morphological and biochemical traits (84.00-94.00%), except for the number of tillers (42.00%), which exhibited moderate heritability. Genetic advance as a percentage of mean (GAM) was high for most of the traits, viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle length, single plant yield, test weight, grain protein, iron, zinc, and calcium contents. suggesting the predominance of additive gene action and the greater possibility of genetic improvement through simple phenotypic selection. Majority of the contribution towards the total divergence by days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of tillers, panicle length, single plant yield, and grain calcium content coupled with significant and positive correlations of majority of grain yield components with grain yield suggested that these traits are the key drivers of variability that could be exploited through a little millet improvement program.