Study of correlation and path coefficient among the quantitative and qualitative characters of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss]

Abstract

The experiment was carried out with sixty diverse genotypes of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss.] In order to study correlation and path analysis for seventeen quantitative and qualitative traits. Association analysis between seed yield per plant and other sixteen characters revealed that seed yield per plant was significant and positively correlated with plant height (rg = 0.298), number of branches per plant (rg = 0.192), number of siliquae per plant (rg=0.163), seeds per siliqua (rg= 0.265), length of siliqua (rg = 0.246), 1000-seed weight (rg = 0.496), oil content (rg = 0.203), linolenic acid (rg = 0.279) and erucic acid (rg = 0.234) at genotypic level. These yield contributing traits also possessed positive and highly significant association between themselves. The character days to flowering (rg = -0.282), days to maturity (rg = -0.163), stearic acid (rg = -0.147), linoleic acid (rg = -0.168) and eicosenoic acid (rg = -0.167) was negative and significantly correlated with seed yield per plant at genotypic level. Path coefficient analysis indicated the highest positive direct effect on seed yield per plant by oil content (4.384) followed by days to flowering (3.857), linoleic acid (3.658), number of branches per plant (3.313), 1000-seed weight (3.271), length of siliqua (2.608), days to maturity (1.512) and stearic acid (1.263). The character oleic acid (-6.906) exerted the highest negative direct effect on seed yield per plant.