Performance and Heritability Studies on Some Peanut Lines and Cultivars

Thirteen selected peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) lines and cultivars from the local germplasm collection were evaluated in two years in Serdang, Malaysia, to compare their performance and to estimate heritability of some of the important traits on the crop. The lines and cultivars were found to reveal quite a wide range of performance and genetic variability, as they were obtained from various different countries. Number of pods per plant, which showed high heritability and was positively correlated with yield, was identified to be a good criterion for selection to improve yield in peanut breeding. The lines and cultivars evaluated showed good potential for genetic studies and breeding programmes in the country.