Path coefficient analysis of yield and its component 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. Path coefficient analysis revealed that direct effect was positive on grain yield per plant by number of productive tiller per plant, days to maturity, plant height, fodder yield per plot, 1000-grain weight. This revealed that true relationship of these characters with grain yield. Hence, direct selection for these traits could be rewarding for improvement of grain yield.