Gene action for fodder yield and its components in clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub)

Abstract

The nature of gene effects for fodder yield and its components in clusterbean was analysed in three crosses involving three diverse parents through generation mean analysis. Green fodder yield per plant appeared to be influenced by both additive and nonadditive gene actions. Only leaf length was controlled by additive gene action and dominance was prevalent in expression of leaf breadth. Epistatic components were found to be important for other characters. Complementary type of interaction was predominantly involved in inheritance of most of the characters. For genetic improvement of fodder yield utilising nonadditive components, intermating among selected segregates in early generation or reciprocal recurrent selection would be effective approach.