Studies on path coefficient analysis and genetic divergence in feed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at Crop Research Farm, Nawabganj, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur during Rabi 2016-17. Experimental material comprised of fifty genotypes of barley. Studies on variability, heritability and genetic advance showed that biological yield per plant, grain weight per spike, number of productive tillers and grain yield per plant are having considerable importance to the breeders for selection. Correlation studies showed that positive and significant correlations were observed between biological yield/plant and plant height, number of tillers/plant and days to maturity, grains/spike and number of tillers plant plant, main spike length and plant height, harvest index between number of tillers per plant and number of spike per plant. Path coefficient analysis suggested that biological yield per plant is showing positive and significant overall effects on grain yield per plant. So emphasis could be given on these characters during selection for varietal improvement programme. After D2 analysis fifty genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. Cluster I had highest genotypes (11). The genotypes falling in Cluster I had the maximum divergence. The maximum and minimum divergence was found between cluster I and VIII, Cluster V and II, cluster III and cluster VI and cluster IV and cluster VII respectively. Cluster I and V are exhibiting high mean for most of the characters. For varietal improvement, the hybridization among genotypes falling in clusters III and IV should be done as they are the most divergent clusters.