GENETIC VARIATION IN MINERAL PROFILES, YIELD CONTRIBUTING AGRONOMIC TRAITS, AND FOLIAGE YIELD OF STEM AMARANTH

The study was evaluated to estimate mineral profiles and find out selection criteria for high foliage yielding cultivars by assessing the magnitude of genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, association, and contribution of characters of sixteen stem amaranth genotypes in a randomized block design with three replications. Based on high heritability and high GA and GAPM and close values between Vg vs. Vp and GCV vs. PCV, all the traits could be selected to improve the foliage yield of stem amaranth. A significant and desirable positive correlation was observed for Fe, Ca, Mn, K, and leaves plant-1 both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. These five traits could be selected for improving the foliage yield of stem amaranth as these traits exhibited less influence on the environment. The insignificant genotypic correlation values were observed between mineral vs. mineral and mineral vs. foliage yield and yield contributing agronomic traits, which indicate that selection for high mineral content might be possible without compromising yield loss. A high to moderate direct effect along with a significant correlation was found in Fe, K, Ca, and Mn. Fe, K, Ca, and Mn had the most significant contribution to foliage yield of stem amaranth as these traits exhibited considerable positive direct effects and significant correlation coefficients on foliage yield. The accessions AS7, AS4, AS5, AS14, and AS16 had high foliage yields containing moderate to high mineral profiles. These five accessions could be selected as high-yielding cultivars. Selection could be made based on Fe, K, Ca, and Mn content to improve stem amaranth. The accessions AS7, AS4, AS5, AS14, and AS16 could be used as high foliage yielding and mineral profiles enrich cultivars.