GENETIC VARIABILITY AND ASSOCIATION OF AGRONOMIC CHARACTERS IN COMMON BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), GROWN AT ZIWAY, EAST SHEWA, ETHIOPIA

The purpose of this study was to estimate the extent of genetic variability of agronomic traits and their contribution to seed yield. Twelve quantitative characters including plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod, days to flowering, seed yield per plots, harvest index and hundred seed weighted of twenty four genotypes of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was studied. The experiment was conducted at Ziway farmer’s field as randomized complete block design planted in three replications. Results showed that genotypes with more yields were identified as ARGANE for maximum seed yield per plot with values of (832g), GOFTA for pods per plant (24.3) and for above ground dry biomass (8636.66). The values of variation was wide for plant height, seed yield per plant, hundred seed weight and seed yield per plot while other characters showed low to fairly high range value. The mean square values showed significant variation among all 24 genotypes. Plant height hundred seed weight and harvest index showed high coefficients of variation in both genotypic and phenotypic. High heritability estimated from 60-97% were obtained for days to flowering, primary branches, Secondary branches, seeds per pod, Plant height, harvest index, seed yield per plot, hundred seed weight and above ground dry biomass. Above ground dry biomass seed yield per plot hundred seed weight and plant height showed high genetic advance. The magnitudes of genotypic correlation showed higher as compared to phenotypic correlations and in the same direction. Primary branches, above ground dry biomass, days to flowering, days to maturity, pods per plant, seeds per pod and hundred seed weight are traits of common bean which exerts positive direct and indirect influence on seed yield in both phenotypic and genotypic path coefficient analysis. In conclusion, the result of this study demonstrated that there is sufficient genetic variability among the common bean genotypes and a number of characters were found to have high broad sense heritability, which could be used to improve the yield and other agronomic characters of the crops through selection or breeding.