author(s)
Malsawmzuali Ralte, Ramesh S Rathod, Nishma Dechamma TM and Shivani Dobhal

abstract
Early-stage phenotypic selection is a cornerstone of tree improvement programmes in fast-growing species. The present investigation assessed variability in growth attributes among F₁ progenies of Melia dubia Cav. with the objective of identifying superior genotypes using an index-based selection method. Thirty-six five-year-old progenies were evaluated for height, diameter at breast height (DBH), clear bole height (CBH), stem straightness and branching habit at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. Considerable inter-progeny variation was recorded for all traits. Based on a composite phenotypic index, fifteen progenies were selected as plus trees, exhibiting substantial improvement over the population mean for height, DBH and CBH. The study confirms the effectiveness of phenotypic index selection at juvenile stages and provides a basis for further genetic improvement and deployment of superior M. dubia planting material.