Abstract
In order to determine whether the hard seed con-tent of Renge (Astragalus sinicus L.) is heritable or not, about one hundred inbred lines were examined in regard to this character. Results obtained are summarized as follows : ( I ) The hard seed content varied considerably with the inbred lines and the line means ranged The 'continuously from 2.I to 59.5 per cent. The analyses of these data showed that differences among lines were statistically significant. Heritability estimates were O.8-0.9 on line means and O.6-0.7 on individuals, and the correlation coefflcient between the parents and the progenies was +0.42. Tn' ese results show that the hard seed content is influenced by environmental factors but simultaneously depends on genetical ones. ( 2 ) Correlation coefficients between the hard seed content and some other ch.aracters such as length, thickness and color of seed were all small and not significant. But a significantly higyh correlation was found between the hard seed content and the seed weight. 24
