Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

CORRELATION AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS OF QUANTITATIVE TRAITS IN WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Sanjay Kumar, Anand Kumar, Anil Kumar and P.B. Jha

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the inter-relationship and indirect effect of various wheat components on yield. Sixty wheat genotypes were studied for correlation and path coefficient analysis of ten quantitative traits in wheat at research farm of Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar). The estimates of the genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficient for all the character combinations. Grain yield was significantly and positively associated with number of effective tillers per plant. Among the significant associations, number of effective tillers per plant was significantly and positively associated with 1000-grain weights. Disease reaction to leaf blight had significant positive correlation with number of spikelets per spike, 1000-grain weight and harvest index while, highly significant negative correlation with flag leaf area. Similarly, flag leaf area exhibited highly significant positive association with ear length and highly significant negative correlation with harvest index. A days to 50% flowering was highly significant and positive correlation with flag leaf area whereas, it showed highly significant negative correlation with disease reaction to leaf blight and number of spikelets per spike. Path coefficient analysis reveals that number of effective tillers per plant showed highest positive direct efect on grain yield while, disease reaction to leaf blight had negative direct effect. The above finding revealed that, whatever, the character chosen for increasing grain yield the improvement could be achieved only through number of spikelets per spike and number of effective tillers. Hence, it may be concluded that number of effective tillers per plant is the main trait which is responsible for the manipulation of grain yield in wheat.