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Present study on DUS characterization is about the most promising high root yielding genotype HWS 8-18 ofAshwagandha (Withania somnifera) was done during the late Kharif, 2018 and 2019 and established its distinctness amongdifferent genotypes. The genotype HWS 8-18 was tested for several morphological descriptors. The ashwagandha genotypeHWS 8-18 has been found superior in dry root yield as compared to ASW-1 (best check) 10.78% at National level and40.99% higher in the Haryana State. The mean seed yield of HWS 8-18 was 610.87 kg/ha compared to 551.43 kg/ha ofASW-1 (best check) recorded at National level while at Hisar the mean seed yield was found to be 767 kg/ha as againstASW-1 (544 kg/ha). The genotype HWS 8-18 has given numerically high seed yield (579.41 kg/ha) and at par with bestcheck, AWS-1 (541.05 kg/ha). The morphological characters, lenceolate, smooth, medium dark green leaves, orange yellowberry colour and semi-erect are the marker characters of HWS 8-18. In addition to this, the characterization information willbe helpful to maintain the genetic as well as proper identification. Moreover, high root yield and seed yield have greaterimportance and would be utilized in hybridization for further genetic improvement.

A field experiment was conducted during the years 2016- 2017, 2017-18 and 2018-19 to evaluate the performance of13 elite Isabgol genotypes for commercial cultivation under semi-arid conditions of Haryana at Research Farm of MAPSection, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The results on the basisof mean performance over three years seed yield data of all 13 genotypes revealed that, the highest seed yield (kg/ha)was found in genotype HI-137 (307.89 kg/ha) and closely followed by HI-135 (307.86 kg/ha), which were significantlysuperior to all the genotypes. Some other genotypes like Niharika (290.82 kg/ha) and HI-133 (293.13 kg/ha) also producedgood yield. Lowest seed yield was recorded in genotype HI-136 (189.94 kg/ha). On the basis of average of three yearsdata, it is consolidated that the genotype, HI-135 had the longest spike (5.55 cm) followed by HI-131 (5.38 cm), HI-137(5.26 cm) and HI-138 (5.16 cm). Likewise, HI-137 was also recorded the maximum number of florets/spike (47.71 florets/spike) closely followed by GI-2 (46.52 florets/spike), Niharika (46.11 florets/spike) and HI-135 (44.36 florets/spike).Under different environment conditions, the elite genotypes, HI-137 (307.89 kg/ha) and HI-135 (307.86 kg/ha) were ableto perform better and were significantly superior to all other genotypes, therefore, these genotypes may be recommendedfor cultivation in semi-arid region of Haryana after further testing their preference over time and space.

The farmers or orchardist are trying different varieties/germplasm for growing as a commercial orchard without havingknowledge about the performance of these varieties/germplasm. The experiment on varietal evaluation of on aonla comprisingof nine promising cultivars (NA 6, NA 7, NA 10, NA 20, Krishna, BSR 1, Gujarat 1, Chakaiya and CHES 1) releasedfrom the different parts of the country was carried out to study the variation among different varieties on qualitative aswell as quantitative basis and observed the performance of growth, physicochemical characters and yield during 2017-18,2018-19, 2019-20 under semi-arid conditions to recommend the suitable variety. Plant shape was observed as spreading(CHES 1, Chakaiya, Krishna, NA 6, NA 7, NA 10, BSR 1); drooping (NA 20) and upright (G1) in different cultivars ofaonla. The range of variability among different parameters such as plant height (4.90-6.70 m), plant spread-EW (4.47-7.15 m), plant spread-NS (4.44-7.53 m) , stem girth (46.45-95.37 cm), plant volume (86.8-283.9 m3), plant canopy area(15.59-42.35 m2), total soluble solids,TSS (9.17-18.32 °B), acidity (1.92-2.63%), TSS : acidity ratio (4.09-7.71), ascorbicacid (323-567 mg/100 g pulp), fruit weight (5.89-55.43 g), fruit length (1.87-3.33 cm), fruit breadth (2.28-3.70 cm), yield(36-102 kg/plant and 10.00-28.34 MT/ha). Fruit shape was observed as flattened round (CHES 1, Chakaiya, NA 6, NA 10,G 1, BSR 1), triangular (Krishna), oval (NA 7) and round (NA 20). Free base (cavity at stem end) was observed as absent(CHES 1), shallow (Chakaiya, NA 6, NA 20, G 1), deep (Krishna), flat (NA 7, NA 10, BSR 1) and fruit apex was observedas flat (CHES 1, Chakaiya, Krishna, NA 7, NA 10, NA 20), papillate(NA 6, BSR 1), depressed (G 1).

One hundred and forty-five faba bean genotypes were assessed for two years for 13 agronomic traits against three elitevarieties PRT-7, PRT-12 and Vikrant in Augmented Design. There was significant difference among the blocks for leaflength, leaf width and 100 seed weight but no difference was observed for days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height,number of branches, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, number of pods per cluster, pod length, yieldper plant and seed yield. Among the checks, PRT-12 registered highest seed yield (kg/ha). Three germplasm lines viz.EC243770, EC117792, EC329725 showed higher seed yield (kg/ha) than the best check variety PRT-12 (1565 kg/ha).

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L.Walp] is an important summer/rainy season legume crop which is tolerant to drought aswell as water logging conditions. It provides nutritious grain and an inexpensive source of protein. In cowpea breedingprogrammes, the major emphasis has been on the collection and conservation of genetic pools. The knowledge onthe nature and extent of genetic variability present in any crop species plays an important role in designing a suitablebreeding method. Genetic diversity is the foremos t basic requirement for a successful breeding programme. Heritabilityis a biostatistic commonly used in plant breeding and genetics works that estimates how much variation in a phenotypictrait in a population is due to genetic variation among individual plants in that population. Genetic advance is theimprovement in the mean genotypic value of selected plant families over that of base population. It depends uponphenotypic variability, heritability and intensity of selection. The evaluation of cowpea germplasm, quantification ofthe magnitude of variability existing for different characters and classification into groups help in identifying potentialdistinct genotypes which are having contrasting characters, can be used to operate effective selection of geneticallydiverse genotypes for the improvement of yield. In this review paper, the research work carried on different aspects ofgenetic divergence is discussed under the sub-heads, i.e. variation of qualitative and quantitative traits, genetic variability,heritability and genetic advance, correlation and path analysis, genetic divergence using D2 analysis and genetic diversityby using molecular markers.

This experiment was conducted under two different agro-climatic conditions of Haryana viz. humid conditions ofKarnal and semi-arid conditions of Hisar during kharif 2015 to evaluate the performance of newly developed sevenextra-early maturing hybrids of maize. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the hybridsfor different characters. In humid conditions, hybrid Bio9637 (5243.0 kg/ha) was highes t yielder followed by hybridVivek Hybrid 43 (5047.0 kg/ha), Vivek Hybrid 21 (4631.0 kg/ha), EH2236 (4142.0 kg/ha), Bio9681 (3694.0 kg/ha),Prakash (3644.0 kg/ha) and AH1317 (2972.0 kg/ha). In semi-arid conditions, Prakash (5017.0 kg/ha) was significantlysuperior and followed by Vivek Hybrid 43 (4977.0 kg/ha), Vivek Hybrid 21 (4294.0 kg/ha), AH1317 (4091.0 kg/ha),EH2236 (3830.0 kg/ha), Bio9637 (2990.0 kg/ha), Bio9681 (2908.0 kg/ha). Likewise, on average basis, Vivek Hybrid 43 withan average yield 5012.0 kg/ha was at the top yielder and followed by Vivek Hybrid 21 (4462.5 kg/ha), Prakash (4330.5 kg/ha),Bio9637 (4116.5 kg/ha), EH2236 (3986.0 kg/ha), AH1317 (3531.5 kg/ha), Bio9681 (3301.0 kg/ha). The grain yield meanperformance was high in humid conditions (5243.0 kg/ha) as compared to in semi-arid conditions (5017.0 kg/ha) due tomore availability of soil mois ture and nutrients.

Present investigation was carried out at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to examine the differentmorphological characters for distinctness, uniformity and stability of durum wheat varieties. Nine genotypes werestudied over two years and observations on thirty-seven morphological characters were recorded. The study revealedthat morphological characters of wheat plant viz. plant growth habit, coleoptile anthocyanin colouration, flag leafanthocyanin colouration of auricle, time of ear emergence, ear waxiness, waxiness of peduncle, flag leaf length,peduncle attitude, flag leaf width, plant height, lower glume shoulder width, lower glume shoulder shape, outer glumepubescence, and awns attitude were the most important characters which could easily distinguish the durum wheatvarieties. The characters like foliage colour, flag leaf attitude, flag leaf waxiness of sheath, ear length, lower glumebeak length, lower glume beak shape, flag leaf waxiness of blade, ear colour, awns colour, are also found useful indistinguishing durum wheat varieties. The seed morphological characteristics such as grain hardness, grain germ widthand grain shape are found to be useful in discriminating durum wheat varieties. But some characters like ear density,awn length and 1000 seed weight are not found to be so useful in distinguishing durum wheat varieties in the presentinvestigation. The study also revealed that the characters viz. flag leaf hairs on auricle, brush hairs, peduncle length,straw pith in cross section, ear shape in profile easily distinguished bread wheat variety ‘PBW 343’ from rest of thedurum wheat varieties. But these characters could not distinguish among durum wheat varieties. The grain colourationwith phenol also could not distinguish among durum wheat varieties but it strongly distinguished bread wheat variety‘PBW 343’ from all the durum wheat varieties in the study

Forty-five F1hybrids were produced by crossing fifteen elite wheat cultivars used as pollen donor/ male parents with threeT. timopheevibased male sterile lines used as female parents. Self-fertility status of these F1hybrids was studied. Two indexes, viz., number and percentage of seed development in bagged spikes of these forty-five F1hybrids, bagged before starting of anthesis, were used to determine the degree of fertility restored in the F1hybrids. Based upon a scale devised using the second index, i.e. percentage of seed development in bagged spikes, corresponding pollen parents were identified and classified as maintainer, partial maintainer, partial restorer or restorer. In the present study, WH 542 and KRL 99 were identified as partial restorers for CMS line WH 416A. Agronomic performances of the forty-five hybrids produced were also studied for days to heading, plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of florets per spike. F1cross-combinations, WH 416A X CBW 38, WH 416A X DBW 39, WH 416A X DBW 50 and WH 416A X NIAW 1188 were found remarkable for their agronomic performance.

The present experiment was carried out at Director Farm, CCSHAU, Hisar duringkharif2017 to evaluate the performance of 30 selected elite genotypes of cowpea. The variably was studied both within and between groups. The genotypes, KBC 9 and DC 7-15 were placed in the medium fodder-medium grain yield producing group and could be utilized for both, fodder as well as grain production. Moreover, the genotypes (UPC 12-007, KBC-6, KBC-8 and GC 901) were included in high fodder- medium grain yield, which had good potential of grain production as well as excellent potential of fodder production. Likewise, the genotypes (PL-3 Sel., CPD 240 and RC 101) were included in medium fodder-high grain yield, which had good potential of grain production as well as excellent potential of fodder production. It could be utilized for dual purpose after extensive testing over time and space. None of the genotypes was placed in high fodder-high grain yield. So, there is an urgent need to breed for high fodder-high grain so that the maximum fodder as well as grain yield could be obtained simultaneously. Therefore, the hybridization among the diverse genotypes viz., UCP 12-007 (high fodder yield) with PL-3 Sel. (high grain yield) may be suggested for developing dual purpose genotypes through the transgressive segregation.