Indian Res. J. Genet. & Biotech 7(1) : 103 – 108 (2015) Corresponding authors- e-mail: anant.madke@gmail.com Published by the Indian Society of Genetics, Biotechnology Research and Development Biotech Bhawan 5 E Nikhil Estate, DPS Road, Shastripuram, Agra 282007 Online management by www.isgbrd.co.in Genetic variability and correlation analysis of yield and its contributing traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for drought tolerance S. Singh, A. H. Madakemohekar, L. C. Prasad and R. Prasad Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221005, India. (Received: November 2014; Revised: December 2015; Accepted: January 2015) Abstract The experimental material comprised of 25 most diverse genotypes along with 2 checks varieties were sown in randomized block design with four replications in both rainfed and irrigated environment. Significant variations were revealed for all the characters under study. High GCV and PCV were observed for peduncle length followed by number of grain per ear and grain yield per plant under both environments. The estimates of broad sense heritability was highest for number of grain per ear, plant height, peduncle length and flag leaf length in irrigated environment, while in rainfed environment it was highest for peduncle length, plant height, flag leaf length and 1000 grain weight. Positive and significant association was shown by grain yield per plant with plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width and number of grains per ear. Path coefficient analysis revealed direct high positive effect on number of grains per ear, 1000 grain weight, flag leaf width and number of effective tillers per plant. Key words: Barley, drought tolerance, heritability, correlation Introduction Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the founder crops of Old World agriculture and has fourth rank among the major food grains. The global acreage and production of barley is 58.69 million ha and 150 million tonnes respectively, with an average yield potential of 2540 kg per ha. The important countries growing this crop are European union, Russia, Ukrain, Canada, Australia, Turkey and USA. India ranked 21 st position in area and 18 th position in production (FAO 2013-14). Barley has a bright future as salinity resistant and dual purpose crop for green forage and grain, and also in the form of regenerate crop, especially in arid region. Looking the global warming situation barley has a hope as edge crop to sustain the food security. Barley is an important winter cereal crop in the northern plains of India. It is primarily grown as a rain-fed crop in poor marginal soils of the states. The growing area and production of barley in the country has now stabilized in the last few years with minor fluctuation depending on the demand and price situation as well as weather condition. During rabi, 2013-14 about 1730 thousand tonnes of barley has been produced with 25.5 q/ha average productivity in 671thousand hectares. Among the states, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh leads in both area and production while Punjab has an edge over other states in terms of average yield followed by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Till date availability of desirable genotypes with better yielding is not completely satisfactory. Hence effort is being made to develop the desirable genotype which also can be adopted in various range of environmental stress; it is the ultimate goal of plant breeders (Sabaghpour et al., 2003). This can be possible only when we select the desirable genotypes and traits to be transferred. Also the studies on genetic variability for yield and yield contributing traits and direct and indirect contribution of important yield components towards grain yield as well as to identify the characters of utmost importance that may be used as selection criteria will be of great significance in a barley breeding programme. Identifying and understanding mechanisms of drought tolerance is crucial to the development of tolerant commercial cultivars. Thus, the responses of plants to various stresses have for decades been the focus of physiological and molecular studies (Levitt 1980). In view of above fact the present investigation was undertaken.