Dissecting genetic variability and character associationship among growth, yield and quality traits in vegetable cluster bean Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub. genotypes

Assessment of variability and association of independent variables with the dependent variable (yield) is very important to identify the most important traits in the cluster bean crop improvement program. The current study investigated 14 quantitative traits across 21 genotypes of vegetable cluster bean. Several characteristics, including the number of clusters per plant, cluster length, number of green pods per plant, green pod length, 10 green pod weight, pod width, and green pod yield per plant, demonstrated high heritability and genetic advance. Number of green pods per plant (0.97), pod width (0.93), 10 green pod weight (0.91), number of clusters per plant (0.89), green pod length (0.89), plant height (0.87), cluster length (0.87), number of clusters on the main shoot (0.82), 100 seed weight (0.77), and number of seeds per pod (0.64) exhibited positive and significant phenotypic correlations with pod yield per plant. In contrast, the days to first (-0.81) and 50% flowering (-0.80) showed a significant negative phenotypic correlation with pod yield per plant. The trait, i.e. protein content of green pods, had a negative but statistically non-significant correlation with green pod yield per plant. Pod yield per plant was found to be positively and directly influenced by the number of green pods per plant, pod width, and 10 green pod weight. Therefore, direct selection for these traits could be advantageous for enhancing cluster bean green pod yield.