Multivariate analysis of some economic characters in flax

Twenty one parent flax genotypes and twenty F1 hybrids using principal components analysis based on 16 quantitative charismas were used to study the genetic relationship. Analysis of variance exposed high significant differences for all studied charismas among genotypes. High Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) values were observed with high Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) for seed yield/plant, number of capsules/plant, fruiting zone length, main stem diameter and seed index which designated that variation for these characters substantively donates to the total variability moderate to low PCV and GCV were perceived for fiber characters, earliness and growth characters, respectively. Most characters, showed high heritability estimated in broad sense (> 70%) indicated that selection based on these characters would be effective as they are likely to be controlled by additive genes. The first five principal components were significant and accounted 78.2% of a total variance of all characters. The maximal amount of difference is shown in the first PC axis were 25.3%. Stem diameter, seed yield/plant, number of capsules/plant, straw yield/plant, fruiting zone length, number of apical branches and number of seed/capsules were a primary source of variation of the first PC axes and give high coefficients, respectively. While, the biggest coefficient in PC2 were earliness characters, plant height and fiber length. The other rest PC axes deals with seed index, fiber fineness and oil contented. The flax genotypes were plotted according to the first two PC axis. The most earlier parents Gowhar and L6 were separated according to PC2 since this axis deals with earliness characters.