Vegetos

Abstract

Investigations were conducted to study the morphological variations of different Echinochloa accessions. Fresh seeds of Echinochloa accessions i.e. E. colona, E. crusgalli and E. glabrescens populations were procured from different habitats of Distt. Sirsa, Jind, Jhajjar, Hisar and Fatehabad. Maximum plant height and culm length (cm) was observed in E. glabrescens (116.40 & 109.75) collected from Majdean, Sirsa. Panicle length was maximum in E. colona/crusgalli (Rania, outside lake). Spikelet length (4.45cm) is maximum in E. glabrescens (Hanspur, lake) and minimum in E. colona (Roadside, Hisar). Spikelet arrangement was found compact in all E. glabrescens and spars in E. colona ecotypes but both types of spikelet arrangement were found in E. crusgalli ecotype. All ecotypes of Echinochloa colona and Echinochloa crusgalli collected from different habitats were awned except in E. colona from Budhakhera (Uklana), Hisar Bhiwani road and one E. crusgalli ecotype collected from Chamarkhera (Uklana) was found awnless. Stigma/anther and caryopsis colour was purple in all ecotypes of E. glabrescens, E. colona and E. crusgalli while it was found green in E. colona collected from Ahrewan (Fatehabad) and E. crusgalli ecotype collected from HAU farm. All E. glabrescens ecotypes constitute erect type of plants while all E. colona and E. crusgalli ecotypes collected from different habitats constitutes drooping type of plants. The seed yield varied from 35.30 g/plant (E. colona collected from Ahrewan, Fatehabad) to 1.30 g/plant (E. crusgalli collected from Chahal dhani, Fatehabad). The bolder seed were obtained from ecotype E. glabrescens collected from Mundhal, Hansi (3.26 g/plant) and smaller seed from E. crusgalli collected from Chahal dhani, Fatehabad(0.52 g/plant).