ESTIMATES OF GENETIC PARAMETERS FOR MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES FOR MOISTURE STRESS TOLERANCE IN GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.)*

Among parents, TPT-4 showed the highest per se performance for number of well-filled and  mature pods per plant,  shelling per cent, sound mature kernel  per cent, 100-kernel weight, kernel yield per plant and pod yield per plant. The genotypes, ICGV-99029 for number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, transpiration rate, dry haulms yield per plant and harvest index, K-1375 for specific leaf area and water use efficiency and TCGS-647 for specific leaf weight exhibited the highest per se performance. Among F1s, TPT-4 x ICGV-99029 produced more number of primary branches per plant, number of well-filled and  mature pods per plant, shelling per cent, dry haulms yield per plant, kernel yield per plant and pod yield per plant. High heritability and high genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for number of well-filled and mature pods per plant, high heritability and moderate genetic advance as per cent of mean observed for days to 50% flowering. Moderate heritability and high genetic advance as per cent of mean was showed for water use efficiency and dry haulms yield per plant, whereas moderate heritability and moderate GAM was recorded for plant height, harvest index and kernel yield per plant and low heritability and moderate GAM  for number of primary branches per plant and stomatal conductance indicating the importance of additive gene effects, selection for such characters may be rewarding.