The present investigation was carried out to assess the nature and magnitude of genetic variability for yield and quality related traits in 50 genotypes of foxtail millet germplasm collections. The experiment was laid out in an Augmented Randomised Complete Block Design (ARCBD) at RARS, Lam, Guntur during Kharif, 2017-18. The analysis of variance revealed the presence of significant differences for most of the traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, days to maturity, fat, carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, calcium and grain yield per plant indicating that the collections under study were genetically diverse for most of the traits. Coefficient of variation studies indicated that the estimates of GCV were lesser than the corresponding PCV estimates for all the traits indicating the influence of environment on expression of these traits. High PCV and GCV were recorded for no. of productive tillers per plant, fat, iron, phosphorus, calcium and grain yield per plant, while days to 50% flowering recorded moderate PCV and GCV. The low GCV and PCV were recorded in plant height, days to maturity and carbohydrate. The grain yield and its components viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle length, protein, fat, iron, phosphorus and calcium exhibited high genetic advance as per cent of mean coupled with high estimates of heritability indicating that, there is predominance of additive gene action in controlling the inheritance of these traits and direct phenotypic selection would be effective for improvement of these traits. | Genetic parameters for grain yield and nutritional quality traits in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.]
