Received: 30 Jun 2021 Accepted: 29 Oct 2021 Revised: 15 Oct 2021 https://doi.org/10.37992/2021.1204.161 Vol 12(4):1170 - 1177 1170 Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding Research Article Genetic variability and correlation for nut and yield characters in arecanut (Areca catechu L.) germplasm D. G. Kiran Kumar 1* , D. Lakshmana 1 , N. R. Nagaraja 2 , Sadashiv Nadukeri 3 and M. Ganapathi 4 1 Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Horticulture, Mudigere, Karnataka, India. 2 Division of Plant Breeding, ICAR-CPCRI, Regional Station-Vittal, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India. 3 Department Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic crops, College of Horticulture, Mudigere, Karnataka, India 4 Department of Crop Physiology, College of Horticulture, Mudigere, Karnataka-577201, India *E-Mail: dgkdgkiran@gmail.com Abstract A study on genetic variability and correlation for nut and yield characters was carried out among 25 arecanut accessions of diverse geographic origins. High GCV and PCV values were observed for the number of female fowers/ inforescence/palm/year, the number of nut/inforescence, the number of nuts/palm/year, dry weight of husk, fresh fruit weight, dry weight of nut, dry weight of kernel and fresh nut yield. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent mean (GAM) were observed for stem girth above the fxed mark, the number of female fowers/inforescence/palm/year, fruit length, fruit breadth, fresh fruit weight, kernel length, kernel breadth, dry weight of nuts, dry weight of kernel, fresh nut yield, dry kernel yield and kernel recovery indicating amenability for phenotypic selection of these characters in early generations. The observations revealed that the palm height, kernel breadth and dry weight of kernel can be considered for improvement of arecanut as these characters had high positive direct efects on the dry weight of kernel. Key words: Genetic variability, Arecanut, Heritability, Genetic advance, Germplasm. INTRODUCTION Arecanut (Areca catechu L.) is one of the important plantation crops grown extensively in Southeast Asian countries. It belongs to the family Arecaceae with the chromosome number of 2n = 32. The palm is widely distributed from East Africa, Tropical Asia and Indonesia to the Central Pacifc Island (Ananda et al., 2004). Arecanut is commercially cultivated in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China mainly for its masticatory nuts popularly known as betelnut or supari and for its medicinal properties (Norton, 1997). It has cultural and traditional prominence in the Indian subcontinent. Genetic variability is a prerequisite for the meaningful selection of germplasm. Genetic parameters like heritability coupled with genetic advance over per cent of mean largely determine the success of selection. Hence, the basic information on genetic parameters is essential in formulating appropriate selection approaches in arecanut breeding programme (Ananda and Rajesh, 2004). Yield is a complex character dependent on several attributes. Before initiating an efective selection programme, it is necessary to know the importance and association of various components for yield traits. A simple correlation measure of characters does not quantify the relative contribution of causal factors to the ultimate yield. Since component traits themselves are inter-dependent,