Studies on correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and yield contributing characters in quality protein maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken at AICRP on Maize, Maize Improvement Project, Kasba Bawada, Kolhapur during rabi 2023 to study the cause of association and direct and indirect effects for yield and yield contributing characters in fourty genotypes and two checks in Quality Protein maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was conducted in Randomised Block Design with two replications. Correlation analysis revealed that, grain yield was found to be significant and positively corelated with these characters, cob width (0.9521) followed by thousand kernel weight (0.8885), cob length (0.8810), cob weight (0.8491), number of kernels per row (0.7624), plant height (0.6492) and cob height (0.5741). Path coefficient analysis revealed that the characters cob weight, thousand kernel weight, cob length number of kernel rows per cob, protein percent, days to 50 percent silking and plant height exhibited largest positive direct effects on grain yield. Thus, direct selection for these traits will be beneficial in yield improvement programme. The traits plant height, cob weight, thousand kernel weight, cob length and number of kernel rows per cob displayed positive significant correlation as well as positive direct effect on yield. These characters play a major role in development of high yielding genotypes in future maize breeding programmes. Hence, due emphasis should be given to these traits in formulating selection criteria to bring high yield.