Genetic variability, correlation and path analysis in optimum and limited irrigation conditions in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes

Abstract

Chickpea is an essential pulse crop and suffers significant yield losses due to terminal drought stress conditions. The twenty-two chickpea genotypes were evaluated for genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance as percent mean, correlation and path analysis. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications, irrigation as the main plot treatment and genotypes as the subplot treatment. The estimates on genetic parameters revealed that the high GCV and PCV coupled with high heritability and high genetic advance were observed for pods per plant, 100-seed weight, biological yield per plant and seed yield per plant in both conditions i.e., optimum irrigation and limited irrigation, and similar was observed for proline content and harvest index in limited irrigation condition. Plant height, proline content, 100-seed weight, biological yield per plant and harvest index showed a significant and positive association with seed yield at genotypic as well as the phenotypic level in both irrigation conditions. The estimates of correlation coefficient revealed that days to 50% flowering showed a significant negative association in limited irrigation condition. In optimum irrigation conditions, path analysis showed a high direct effect of biological yield per plant and harvest index. While in limited irrigation conditions, path analysis showed a very high direct effect of biological yield per plant, and high direct effects of days to 50% flowering, pods per plant and plant height on seed yield.