Vol. 12, Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Khuban Buch, PA Khan, MA Islam, AA Mir, Nageena Nazir and M Iqbal Jeelani

Abstract:
The almond-leaved willow, scientifically classified as Salix triandra L. within the Salicaceae family, exhibits dioecious characteristics, occasionally assuming a small tree form, and thrives in a wide range of environmental conditions. The present study delves into the intricate aspects of nodes and inter nodal lengths in Salix triandra L. The present study considered the impact of source variability on the number of shoots, the count of nodes, and the length of internodes in Salix triandra L. A total of 15 diverse sources from the Kashmir Valley were selected based on species distribution and abundance. These sources were subjected to experimentation at a research field within the Division of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir. The findings reported that the treatments, G₃, G₇, and G₁₄ in Ganderbal, Budgam, and Pulwama respectively had the highest number of shoots (5). No significant differences were found in the number of nodes among treatment combinations. The treatment, G₁ had the longest inter nodal length at 2.55 cm, while G₄ and G₁₄ were statistically similar at 1.35 cm each. Genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) averaged 28.56, 21.18, and 35.59. The highest heritability (H²) was found for node count (inch^-1) at 0.86. Genetic advance at 5% selection intensity was 2.13 for shoot number, 0.75 for inter nodal length, and 0.08 for node count. High Genetic Advance as a Percentage of Mean (GAM), especially for shoot number and node count (inch^-1) at 52.81 and 50.33, highlights effective genetic diversity utilization in breeding, guiding crop enhancement strategies. The study underscores the importance of understanding node and internodal characteristics in the context of source variability, providing valuable insights into the biological processes of Salix triandra L. in diverse environmental conditions.