GENETIC-VARIATION IN YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN RELATION TO BLAST DISEASE CAUSED BY PYRICULARIA-GRISEA IN FINGER MILLET (ELEUSINE-CORACANA)

Four F2 populations of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] during the rainy season of 1988 were studied to understand the nature of variation in quantitative traits in relation to yield and resistanc e to blast caused by Pyricularia grisea (Cooke) Sacc. Moderate to high genetic variability for components of productivity and the neck and f inger blast was seen in all the populations. The characters neck and f inger blast, yield/plant, days to 50% flowering and plant height showe d high heritability and high genetic advance, indicating the role of a dditive gene action. However, total and productive tillers recorded mo derate to high heritability but low genetic advance. It indicates scop e for development of blast resistance through selection.