Correlation analysis of yield and yield-contributing traits in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) germplasm

Abstract

An experiment entitled “Genetic diversity studies in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]”. was carried out during Kharif 2024 at the Research Farm of National Agriculture Research Project, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 42 genotypes and two replications to estimate the extent of genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation coefficient and path coefficient analysis among all the genotypes. The characters, including the number of productive tillers per plant, panicle girth, 1000 Grain Wt. (g), and Fodder yield per plot, demonstrated a positive and significant correlation with grain yield per plant. In contrast, traits such as panicle length, days of maturity, Harvest Index, plant height showed a positive yet non-significant effect. This indicates the substantial role and importance of these characters in the development of superior genotypes with high yield potential.