Abstract:
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an economically important crop worldwide including
Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, considerable genetic materials are available. However, research on
soybean genetic variability and association of traits in the study area was limited. Hence,
a field experiment was conducted to estimate genetic variability and trait associations of
81 soybean genotypes at Metema and West Armachiho, West Gondar, Ethiopia. The trial
was laid out in a 9 x 9 simple lattice design in 2020 main cropping season. Data were
taken on both quantitative and qualitative traits. Data analyses were done using SAS,
Minitab, and Past Software for analysis of variance, cluster, path, and principal
component analyses. Combined analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p<0.01)
differences among genotypes for the studied traits, implying existence of variability.
Genotype x location interactions were also significant (p<0.05) for most of the traits.
Estimated Shannon diversity index indicates polymorphic variation for most of the traits.
The phenotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 4.63%-37.76% for protein content and
seed yield, while the genotypic coefficient of variation varied from 1.24% -34.58% for pod
length and seed yield, respectively. Broad sense heritability values ranged from 4.03% for
pod length to 94.84% for days to 50% flowering. Genetic advance as percent of mean was
varied from 0.51%-65.22% for pod length and seed yield, respectively. High heritability
coupled with high genetic advance was observed for number of pods per plant, and seed
yield indicating possibility for improving these traits through selection. Seed yield
exhibited positive and significant correlations with most studied both at phenotypic and
genotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis indicated days to maturity and harvest index
showed highest phenotypic and genotypic positive direct effects, respectively on seed yield.
The cluster analysis grouped the 81 genotypes into six clusters based on quantitative
traits, and cluster I was found to be the largest (63% of genotypes) cluster. The highest
inter-cluster distance was noted between cluster II and VI (D2=154.64), which would
indicate, genotypes of these clusters are divergent and can be exploited in breeding for
hybridization program. Principal component analysis revealed that 77.98% of the total
variation among genotypes was explained by the first four components. Generally, the
present study indicated existence of reasonable variability among genotypes, and this
variability shall be exploited for future soybean improvement program.