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Heritability Estimates for Height, Color, Erectness, Leafiness, and Vigor in Indiangrass¹

The purpose of this study was to determine heritability estimates for plant height, leaf color, erectness, leafiness, and vigor and the correlation of these traits with one another and with forage yield, forage in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and forage crude protein content for two indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash] populations taken from the cultivars ‘Holt’ and ‘Oto’ both of which have broad genetic bases. Narrow sense heritability estimates were obtained by using parent-progeny regression and by using variance components from the analyses of variance of half-sib families. Broad sense heritability estimates were obtained using variance components from the analyses of variance of replicated parental clones. Narrow sense heritability estimates averaged over all methods and both populations were 0.75, 0.59, 0.48, 0.36, and 0.50 for plant height, leaf color, erectness, leafiness, and vigor, respectively. Simple correlations of plant height, leafiness, and vigor with forage yield range from 0.24 to 0.58, and all were significant at the 0.01 level. Correlations of color and erectness with yield were very low or nonsignificant. Absolute values of correlation coefficients of IVDMD and protein content with the five traits evaluated were in general very low. These results indicate that vigor or leafiness scores or plant height may be useful in selecting for yield in indiangrass, but leaf color or erectness would have littlevalue in selecting for yield. None of the five traits would be very useful in selecting for IVDMD or protein.

Key Words: Sorghastrum nutans • Quantitative genetics • Forage yield • Forage quality

² Research agronomist, ARS/USDA; supervisory research geneticist, ARS/USDA; and George Holmes professor of agronomy, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68585.

Received for publication November 10, 1980.

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