Character association and path analysis of grain yield in rabi sorghum [Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench]

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to understand the strength and direction of association of plant morphological, yield attributing traits and grain micro nutrient (Fe and Zn) content with grain yield per plant in rabi sorghum. The results of Correlation analysis suggested that the magnitude of genotypic correlation were higher as compared to their corresponding phenotypic correlations indicating the inherent relationship among the characters studied. Grain yield per plant expressed significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients with plant height (0.46** G, 0.45** P), number of leaves per plant (0.56** G, 0.54**P), number of nodes per plant (0.48** G, 0.44**P), leaf blade length (0.16** G, 0.16** P), leaf blade breadth (0.54** G, 0.51** P), ear head breadth (0.51** G, 0.46** P), 100–seed weight (0.70** G, 0.69** P) and fodder yield per plant (0.70** G, 0.68** P). This suggests that, these characters should be considered while selecting plants for grain yield improvement. Whereas ear head length (-0.26** G, -0.25** P) had significant negative association with grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. High positive direct effect of plant height (0.51G, 0.16P), number of leaves (1.62G, 0.63P), leaf blade breadth (0.11G, 0.17P), ear head width (0.48G, 0.22P), 100 seed weight (0.03G, 0.28P) and grain Zn content (0.21G, 0.08P) on grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level was observed, indicating importance of these characters and can be strategically used to improve the grain yield of sorghum.