Determination of the best indirect selection criteria for improvement of seed and oil yield in canola cultivars (Brassica napus L.)

To evaluate the relationship among seed and oil yield as well as determine the best indirect selection criteria for genetic improvement of seed and oil yield in canola a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted using 17 cultivars. Step-wise regression of seed and oil yield revealed that 98.4 and 98.9% of total variation exists in these traits accounted for by the traits seed yield, oil percent, plant height and days to physiological maturity for oil yield while the traits biological yield, harvest index, days from planting to flowering initiation and no. grain/pod for seed yield . Path analysis for seed and oil yield designed high efficiency of the traits plant height and days to physiological maturity as indirect selection criteria for genetic improvement of oil yield and the traits biological yield and no. grain/pod for seed yield improvement in canola cultivars especially in early generations of breeding programs. Key words: Canola, correlation analysis, path analysis, indirect selection, selection criteria, genetic improvement.